Many Insights, One Goal: Advancing Cancer Research

Q: What prior experiences have most shaped your work in oncology today?

Rob: Early in my career, I had the privilege of working closely with the HIV community — they wrote the playbook on patient advocacy in many ways. The rollout of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) clinical trials around the world presented a make-or-break moment for establishing trust with the patient community. Working with them helped me appreciate why advocacy is not just nice-to-have — it’s business critical. I’m proud to see that same mentality reflected at Regeneron every day. When we enter into a new disease area, the advocacy team is often the first team to engage the community, helping us listen early and bring those insights into every aspect of our work across our organization.

Izzy: Coincidently, I also worked in the HIV field early on. I was drawn to it because it presented a major clinical challenge and an opportunity to make a meaningful difference for patients. My work in the field inspired a deeper exploration into how we might mobilize the immune system to control disease. It quickly became clear that the underlying process of immune evasion was relevant in cancer too, making the transition into immuno-oncology a natural one. That revelation gave me a fresh perspective on oncology: we could mobilize the immune system to address cancer in more targeted ways. 

Q: How do insights from patients influence your decisions and the way you think about progress in cancer care?

Rob: One thing I deeply value about how we approach advocacy at Regeneron is that we don’t treat it as an afterthought. We make a point to connect with the community early and learn what really matters to them, and that perspective shapes how we show up. One way we do this is with our patient advocacy advisory groups where we regularly gather input from advocacy leaders from around the world. Their questions and insights inform our development programs and help to identify opportunities to support the community — whether that’s tailoring our clinical trial communications, incorporating unmet needs in our publications, or addressing disparities in care. 

Izzy: Cancer is a life-altering diagnosis. Hearing directly from patients about what treatment has meant to them keeps our work grounded. Those conversations remind us of the impact we’re making as well as the progress still needed. Having a deep understanding of what matters to the patient community has shaped my understanding of the unmet needs of patients. We have to make sure the science isn’t just compelling on paper but is something they’ll be able to integrate into their lives. And with many tumor types where responses remain limited, patient perspectives fuel us to keep pushing forward and asking the right questions. This requires trust and open communication with the patient populations – which wouldn’t be possible without Rob and his team.

Q: Speaking of pushing forward, what innovation excites you the most as you look toward the future of cancer care?

Rob: As the science advances, it is encouraging to see patient communities more engaged than ever before. I’m energized by the continued recognition of the value of their involvement in the development process. I’m particularly eager to continue getting more input from these communities on the clinical trial experience. From a technology perspective, anything that excites the patient community excites me. Most recently, advocates I’ve spoken with are especially energized by emerging modalities.

Izzy: What excites me most is how many different scientific approaches are now coming together, with the potential to advance cancer care. We’ve seen how checkpoint inhibitors can help activate the immune system, and that foundation has opened the door to an even broader set of tools. What truly motivates me is the belief that there isn’t one single “magic” approach to cancer; real progress will come from advancing — and even combining — different modalities in ways that leverage the power of the immune system to fight cancer.