Dr. Edith Mitchell, Noted Cancer Specialist, TSU Graduate Named to Biden’s Cancer Moonshot Blue Ribbon Panel

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) - Renowned cancer specialist and TSU alum, Dr. Edith P. Mitchell, is part of a panel that recently submitted 10 cutting-edge scientific recommendations to help speed the development of cancer cures. Mitchell, clinical professor and director of the Sidney Kimmel Center to Eliminate Cancer Disparities at Thomas Jefferson University, served on the Blue Ribbon Panel of scientific leaders and cancer patient advocates named to provide direction for Vice President Joe Biden’s National Moonshot Initiative. President Obama announced the $1 billion initiative as part of his State of the Union Address in January and named Biden to head it. The Moonshot aims to make more therapies available to more patients, while also improving efforts to prevent cancer and detect it at an early stage. In September, Mitchell’s panel submitted their report, with recommendations aimed at the Moonshot goal of making 10 years of progress in five years. “Serving on the Moonshot Blue Ribbon Panel is one of the most exciting things that has occurred in my career,” said Mitchell, who is also outgoing president of the National Medical Association. “As members of the panel, we were able to take what we know from experience from cancer and working with cancer research to come up with these recommendations, which we are certain will help the vice president in his work.” The panel recommended that the Moonshot consider the following:

Establish a network for direct patient involvement

Create a clinical trials network devoted exclusively to immunotherapy

Develop ways to overcome resistance to therapy

Build a national cancer data ecosystem

Intensify research on the major drivers of childhood cancers

Minimize cancer treatment's debilitating side effects

Expand use of proven prevention and early detection strategies

Mine past patient data to predict future patient outcomes

Develop a 3D cancer atlas

Develop new cancer technologies

Mitchell, a retired Air Force brigadier general, is one of Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam's nominees for Tennessee State's University Board of Trustees. Department of Media Relations Tennessee State University 3500 John Merritt Boulevard Nashville, Tennessee 37209 615.963.5331 About Tennessee State University With more than 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 25 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.