The National Cancer Institute (NCI) Division of Cancer Prevention (DCP) has created the DCP Early Career Scientist Spotlight Research Seminar Series to highlight nominated early career scientists who are advancing research within the areas supported by DCP. The overall goal of this ongoing seminar series is to increase visibility and provide recognition to these DCP Early Career Scientists.
On This Page
- All Heading 2s will automatically be pulled in to this list.
- Do not edit the content on this template.
Key information
- Date: Thursday, May 7, 2026
- Time: 11:00am EDT to 12:00pm EDT
- Location: Virtual via WebEx
Registration Information
Registration is required.
Speakers
Adding the Spatial Dimension: Insights From Spatial Omics in Hematologic Malignancies
David Cordas dos Santos, MD
Instructor, Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Biography
David Cordas dos Santos, MD, is an Instructor at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, working in Irene Ghobrial’s laboratory in close collaboration with the Broad Institute. After earning his medical degree from the University of Heidelberg, he began his clinical training in hematology and oncology at LMU University Hospital in Munich before transitioning to Dana-Farber to pursue translational research in plasma-cell disorders.
His work focuses on hematologic malignancies such as multiple myeloma and Waldenström macroglobulinemia, as well as T cell–based therapies including CAR-T cells and bispecific antibodies. By integrating multi-omics profiling with spatial biology approaches, his research aims to uncover mechanisms driving progression from precursor to overt malignancy and resistance to immunotherapy.
He is an investigator in the Myeloma Multidimensional Pre-Cancer Atlas of the NIH Human Tumor Atlas Network and is part of multi-institutional collaborations to develop clinically relevant prediction models.
Spatiotemporal Mapping of Tumor Innervation to Predict Aggressive Prostate Cancer at Early Stages
Sebnem Ece Eksi, PhD
Assistant Professor, Division of Oncological Sciences, Oregon Health & Science University
Biography
Dr. Sebnem Ece Eksi is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Oncological Sciences at Oregon Health & Science University. Her laboratory investigates how tumor-innervating nerves influence cancer progression and therapy response, with the goal of improving early detection and prevention in prostate and pancreatic cancers. Using high-plex spatial proteomics and computational pathology, her team develops and applies spatial biomarkers that distinguish indolent from aggressive tumors and identify patients who may benefit from early treatment.
Dr. Eksi integrates spatial proteomics with clinical imaging data such as multiparametric MRI from major early-detection trials such as Re-IMAGINE to uncover nerve-associated risk signatures. Her research advances biomarker discovery for precision patient stratification, guiding intervention decisions, and reducing overtreatment through biologically informed early-detection strategies.