Dr. Samir N. Khleif will represent the Georgia Cancer Center at Augusta University at the National Cancer Moonshot Summit held June 29 at Howard University in Washington, D.C. The daylong summit – which will include researchers, clinicians, patients, survivors and donors – is part of Vice President Joe Biden’s Moonshot Initiative, which seeks to build a first-of-its-kind federal task force to end cancer as we know it.

The summit is aimed at creating action and fostering collaborations around the goals of the Cancer Moonshot and will be the first time stakeholders representing all types of cancers will convene under one national charge.

“The Moonshot cannot be achieved by one person, one organization, one discipline or even one collective approach,” Vice President Biden said. “Solving the complexities of cancer will require the formation of new alliances to defy the bounds of innovation and accelerate the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and — ultimately — a cure. It’s going to require millions of Americans speaking up and contributing what they’re able. That’s what the Cancer Moonshot Summit is all about.”

On June 28, Khleif, director of the Georgia Cancer Center, will participate in a small discussion at the White House regarding the ways the Moonshot Initiative will improve access to patient records, what systems might give patients easier access to their own health records – including digital access – and how these processes might be quickly and efficiently put into place.

“This is an incredibly exciting time to be involved in cancer research and care,” Khleif said. “I am honored to be part of this national process, a process which will determine the future of cancer research in this country.”