University Of Iowa College Of Public Health

In this episode of Plugged Into Public Health, Lauren speaks with Dr. Jill Kolesar about ovarian cancer, precision medicine, and the challenges of translating scientific discovery into real-world care. Dr. Kolesar explains why ovarian cancer remains difficult to treat, including late-stage diagnosis and limited response to immunotherapy. She shares her team’s work on a novel cell-based therapy designed to convert “cold” tumors into ones the immune system can attack, with the goal of improving effectiveness while reducing toxicity. The conversation also explores molecular tumor boards, the role of pharmacists in precision oncology, and how collaboration and data sharing help bring innovation to community and rural settings. This episode highlights not only cutting-edge science, but the systems required to ensure that breakthroughs actually reach patients. A transcript of this episode will be available here soon. Have a question for our podcast crew or an idea for an episode? You can email them at CPH-Grad