ARTNet Podcast is the official podcast of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Acquired Resistance to Therapy Network (ARTNet). The series features conversations with leading cancer researchers who are advancing our understanding of why cancers resist treatment and how those mechanisms can be overcome. Through accessible discussions, each episode explores emerging discoveries in tumor biology, the tumor microenvironment, metabolism, immunology, and precision medicine, while highlighting the collaborative, team-science approach driving innovation across the ARTNet consortium. Designed for researchers, clinicians, trainees, patients, advocates, and the broader public, the podcast translates cutting-edge science into engaging conversations that illuminate the future of cancer therapy.
The conversation explores the complexity of acquired resistance in cancer
therapy, emphasizing the role of cell state and cellular plasticity in driving resistance
mechanisms. Dr. David Goodrich of Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center and Dr. Jeffrey Tyner
of Oregon Health & Science University discuss the challenges of studying dynamic
resistance processes, the promise of targeting cell state plasticity to overcome therapeutic
failure, and how resistance trajectories evolve over time.
The discussion also highlights the
importance of identifying the optimal window for intervention and the growing role of collaborative
science within the ARTNet Consortium in advancing cancer resistance research. Despite the complexity
of the problem, the episode reflects a strong sense of optimism about the future of precision
oncology and translational cancer research.
Why do some cancers fail treatment from the very beginning? In this episode, Dr. David Goodrich of Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center speaks with Dr. Vlad C. Sandulache of Baylor College of Medicine about emerging research showing that many tumors may already be biologically primed to resist therapy before treatment even starts. Together, they explore how oxidative stress, metabolism, immune interactions, and environmental exposures shape tumor behavior, discuss the role of the NRF2 pathway in treatment resistance, and examine how these insights could lead to better biomarkers and more personalized treatment strategies for patients with head and neck cancer.
