On this week’s episode of In the Headlines, we bring you the full audio of a conversation originally published in print in last week’s issue of The Cancer Letter between Ellen Sigal, chair and founder of Friends of Cancer Research, and Karen Knudsen, CEO of the Parker Institute for Immunotherapy, about how Pazdur is a great choice for the position—and the agency.
At the Milken Global Conference 2025, Dr. Karen E. Knudsen, CEO of the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy (PICI), shares her vision for advancing cancer research through immune-based scientific breakthroughs.
In this episode, we explore the Parker Institute's unique model of "venture philanthropy." Karen explains how PICI uses shared intellectual property to de-risk early-stage science and spin out venture-ready companies like Dispatch and Orbital Therapeutics. We also discuss the challenges of modernizing a historic non-profit with "no product" to sell , the intersection of AI and biomarkers with companies like ArteraAI , and PICI's massive data project, "Radiohead".
Dr. Karen Knudsen, MBA, PhD, is the Chief Executive Officer of The Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy ( PICI - https://www.parkerici.org/ ), a 501c3 nonprofit organization driving the next generation of cancer treatment by accelerating the development of breakthrough immune therapies to turn all cancers into curable diseases. Dr. Knudsen most recently served as the Chief Executive Officer of the American Cancer Society (ACS) and ACS Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), where she led both organizations through a period of transformative growth, significantly expanding research investments, advocacy reach, and direct patient support initiatives. Under her leadership, ACS evolved into a unified, high-performing enterprise, increasing revenue by more than 30 percent and broadening its impact to serve over 55 million lives annually. Moreover, Dr. Knudsen developed and scaled innovative programs that included joint ventures and an impact innovation arm to accelerate progress against cancer. Prior to ACS, Dr. Knudsen served as Executive Vice President of Oncology Services at Jefferson Health and Enterprise Director of the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, growing a multi-state oncology network and spearheading advancements in translational cancer research that increased early access to the most advanced cancer care. A globally recognized expert in prostate cancer, Dr. Knudsen has authored over 200 scientific publications and generated practice-changing discoveries. Dr. Knudsen held leadership roles with organizations including the National Cancer Institute Board of Scientific Advisors, the Association of American Cancer Institutes, and the American Association for Cancer Research. She currently serves on the boards of Exai Bio, Paradigm Health, and Research!America, and advises multiple biotech ventures including ArteraAI and Transcarent. Dr. Knudsen holds numerous awards for her scientific and healthcare accomplishments, and this year will be honored with the Allen Lichter Visionary Leader Award from the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), recognizing her lifetime achievement of outstanding contributions to the field of oncology. Dr. Knudsen holds a PhD in Biological Sciences from the University of California, San Diego, and an MBA from Temple University’s Fox School of Business. She has been recognized as one of Forbes’ “50 Over 50: Women of Impact”, a CNBC Changemaker, and is a CEO Council Member for both the Wall Street Journal and CNBC.
Karen Knudsen, the CEO, talks about the mission of improving patient access and commercialization of cancer therapies, and the need to do it more quickly.
Changes to NIH funding present significant challenges to the scientific and medical research landscape, prompting critical questions about how the research community can adapt and maintain momentum. Non-NIH funders, such as research-oriented foundations, have an opportunity to play increasingly important roles in this environment, and there are valuable lessons to be learned from instances where private funding has successfully advanced medical research.
“What I’ve always wanted to do, whether it’s as a scientist, whether it’s as a health executive, the CEO of the American Cancer Society or now the Parker Institute, it’s to get innovation to people,” she said. “We’re at this moment in time where there is so much discovery that’s happening, the pace of change is truly logarithmic, and yet, too many great ideas don’t ever make it off the laboratory floor.”
Dr. Karen Knudsen, PhD, MBA, Executive Strategic Advisor and Immediate Past CEO of the American Cancer Society, discusses strategies to expand access to cancer prevention, detection, treatment, and survivorship.