While certain blood cancers may be common in children, biopharmaceutical researchers like Boris are setting their sights with medicines that fight back. Boris initially began his career in academia, but soon entered into biopharmaceutical research to bridge the gap between advanced study and patients, bringing innovations to those who need them. Now, as a specialist in immuno-oncology, Boris pioneers better, powerful medicines that help the body’s own immune system to battle cancer. One development that particularly excites him is personalized medicine—specifically chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapy, whose origins are rooted in academic research, the same therapy that changed Justin’s life. With this approach, “It’s being manufactured or generated for every single patient. We teach [white blood cells] how to fight cancer, and give them back to the patient.” And while implementing this treatment can be highly complex, the future for cancer patients has never been more promising.

The day I became a cancer patient was also the day I became a cancer survivor. I’ll never forget getting diagnosed at age 36 with Stage II Breast Cancer and thinking to myself you are brave, you will give this fight everything that you have. My determination stemmed in part from my son, who was three at the time, and the countless other women who are fighting for another birthday, Christmas or summer vacation. I knew that the battle I had been fighting for so many years in the lab had suddenly become the very battle that would hopefully save my life and allow me to continue my search for a cure.