Benjamin Levy, MD, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Joins LUNGevity's Scientific Advisory Board

WASHINGTON, May 15, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- LUNGevity Foundation, the nation's premier lung cancer-focused nonprofit organization, announced today that Benjamin P. Levy, MD, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, has joined the Scientific Advisory Board. Dr. Levy is a thoracic medical oncologist and clinical director of oncology at the Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center in Washington, DC, as well as an associate professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.

Dr. Levy is a physician-scientist who is currently leading immunotherapy trials evaluating checkpoint inhibitors with combination strategies, as well as targeted therapy trials. He is interested in innovative immunotherapeutic approaches for advanced-stage lung cancer patients and biomarkers that help define those patients more likely to respond to such agents. He has expertise in thoracic malignancies, including non-small cell lung cancer, small cell lung cancer, and thymic malignancies, as well as head and neck cancers.

"On behalf of LUNGevity Foundation, I would like to welcome Dr. Benjamin Levy to our Scientific Advisory Board," said Andrea Ferris, President and CEO of LUNGevity Foundation. "His expertise in both immunotherapy and targeted therapy clinical trials and roots in the Washington, DC, area will bring additional depth to an already distinguished SAB."

LUNGevity's Scientific Advisory Board, a group of 24 world-renowned scientists and researchers that guides LUNGevity's research program, oversees the Foundation's translational research strategy and ensures that grants are awarded to researchers whose proposals demonstrate the greatest potential for finding lung cancer at its earliest, most treatable phase as well as extending and improving lives for lung cancer survivors.

In addition to guiding the research program, members of the Board assist the Foundation in numerous ways, including speaking at events and conferences; acting as key opinion leaders and experts on lung cancer at meetings; reviewing LUNGevity's education materials to ensure accuracy; providing insights and observations of barriers and issues within lung cancer care; and more. The members of the Scientific Advisory Board represent the level of integrity and scientific standards that LUNGevity is striving for in all aspects of the Foundation.

"We are pleased to have the support of such accomplished and world-renowned lung cancer experts on our Scientific Advisory Board," said Upal Basu Roy, PhD, MPH, Senior Director of Research at LUNGevity. "We strategically select members based on the expertise, new perspective, and geographical diversity they bring to the table. They are the fabric of our organization and help ensure LUNGevity is tackling the most important issues that those affected by lung cancer face, from clinical trial access to ensuring patients receive optimal care."

Prior to his Hopkins appointment, Dr. Levy was Medical Director of the Thoracic Oncology Program for Mount Sinai Health Systems in New York City and associate director of the Cancer Clinical Trials Office (CCTO). His fellowship in hematology and oncology was at the NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center.  

LUNGevity is proud to welcome this exceptional physician and scientist to its Scientific Advisory Board.

About LUNGevity Foundation

LUNGevity is the nation's leading lung cancer organization investing in lifesaving, translational research and providing support services and education for patients and caregivers. LUNGevity's goals are three-fold: (1) accelerate research to patients, (2) empower patients to be active participants in their treatment decisions, and (3) remove barriers that patients face in accessing the right treatments.

LUNGevity Foundation is firmly committed to making an immediate impact on increasing quality of life and survivorship of people with lung cancer by accelerating research into early detection and more effective treatments, as well as by providing community, support, and education for all those affected by the disease. LUNGevity's comprehensive resources include a medically vetted website, a toll-free HELPLine in partnership with CancerCare^®, a unique Lung Cancer Navigator app, peer-to-peer mentoring for patients and caregivers (LUNGevity LifeLine), and survivorship conferences. LUNGevity also helps patients find and navigate clinical trials through our Clinical Trial Finder tool, a Clinical Trial Ambassador program, and participation with EmergingMed.

Our vision is a world where no one dies of lung cancer. For more information about LUNGevity Foundation, a four-star Charity Navigator organization, please visit www.LUNGevity.org.

About Lung Cancer in the U.S.

• About 1 in 16 Americans will be diagnosed with lung cancer in their lifetime
• More than 228,000 people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with lung cancer this year
• About 60%-65% of all new lung cancer diagnoses are among people who have never smoked or are former smokers
• Lung cancer takes more lives than the next three leading cancers (colorectal, breast, and prostate) combined
• Only 19% of all people diagnosed with lung cancer will survive 5 years or more, BUT if it's caught before it spreads, the chance of 5-year survival improves dramatically

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SOURCE LUNGevity Foundation