Clinical trials are how every breakthrough in cancer care becomes reality — and Winship Cancer Institute is leading the way, giving patients access to emerging therapies while generating data that shapes the future of treatment.
Each year on May 20, the global medical community observes International Clinical Trials Day to commemorate the work of Scottish physician James Lind, who in 1747 conducted what’s widely recognized as the first controlled clinical trial — a study that identified citrus fruit as a cure for scurvy. The date now serves as a reminder of the lifesaving importance of clinical research in medicine today. As Georgia’s leader in providing clinical trials for cancer care, Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University is focused on clinical trials year-round.
Winship Cancer Institute is home to one of the most robust cancer clinical trials programs in the Southeast, offering trials for nearly every cancer type.
Winship offers more cancer clinical trials than any health system in the state of Georgia. In 2024, Winship conducted over 550 interventional clinical trials and enrolled more than 1300 patients in interventional trials.
Bringing Tomorrow’s Treatments to Patients Today – Clinical Research News at Winship
Clinical trials are how every new cancer therapy becomes a standard of care, from medicines and diagnostic tools to surgical and radiation techniques. Clinical trials offer patients access to emerging treatments not yet widely available, providing critical data that helps improve care for future patients.
TrialTranslator: AI Meets Real-World Evidence
Developed by Winship researchers in collaboration with researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, TrialTranslator is a machine learning tool that helps match patients to trials more precisely by simulating clinical trial results with real-world data. This innovation may improve how patients and providers evaluate potential trial outcomes before enrolling.
Georgia Blood Cancer Trials Network: Expanding Access Statewide
The teams at Winship Cancer Institute are always seeking new ways to make clinical trials more accessible to more people across the state, including those outside of metropolitan areas. With support from Georgia CORE and other partners, Winship launched the Georgia Blood Cancer Trials Network, which connects patients in rural and underserved areas to promising investigational therapies through local oncologists.
LAURA Trial: New Standard of Care in Lung Cancer
Suresh Ramalingam, MD, executive director of Winship Cancer Institute, led the global LAURA Phase III trial, which showed that osimertinib, a targeted therapy, significantly extends progression-free survival in patients with stage III unresectable EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer. This regimen is now considered a new standard of care.
Multiple Myeloma Insights: CoMMpass Study
A landmark study led by Sagar Lonial, MD, chief medical officer at Winship Cancer Institute, analyzed data from more than 1,100 newly diagnosed patients through the CoMMpass Study. Published in Nature Genetics, the research uncovered genetic markers linked to high-risk progression, offering new avenues for personalized treatment of multiple myeloma.
Alpha DaRT: A New Option for Difficult-to-Treat Skin Cancers
Zachary Buchwald, MD, PhD, a radiation oncologist at Winship, is part of the clinical trial team investigating Alpha DaRT (Diffusing Alpha-emitters Radiation Therapy) for patients with recurrent or treatment-resistant cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, a common and potentially aggressive type of skin cancer. Alpha DaRT delivers high-energy alpha particles directly to tumors, aiming to destroy cancer cells while sparing nearby healthy tissue. The device is implanted subcutaneously; therefore, the treatment is convenient even for patients who do not live nearby, as the device delivers radiation while patients go about their activities, without needing to come back in as frequently for a series of radiation therapy sessions. Early results from international studies have been promising, and this trial reflects Winship’s focus on bringing novel radiation options to patients with limited alternatives. Buchwald demonstrated the technology in the Atlanta news last year when the trial began.
Patient Perspectives on Clinical Trials
Many of Winship’s featured patient stories provide an in-depth look into the experience of participating in a clinical trial, and the outcomes achieved. Learn how one patient, Tom, made the decision to participate in a clinical trial and what it’s like to go through the process before, during and after participating in a clinical trial.