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. With a unique model that unites research institutions, biotech, and venture capital, Dr. Knudsen is driving faster pathways from the lab to the clinic to the marketplace. With three decades of executive leadership across academia, industry, and the nonprofit sector, Dr. Knudsen has built high-impact organisations that translate innovation into tangible patient outcomes and healthcare transformation. She previously served as CEO of the American Cancer Society and now sits on multiple boards, including AstraZeneca, Paradigm Health, Exai Bio, and Research!America. A nationally recognised healthcare strategist, she highlights the importance of public-private partnerships, translational science, and sustainable healthcare solutions in shaping the future of medicine.