Coordinating Oncology and Immunotherapy Research

Hannah Cook (MBP '25) lost count of how many times she's heard clinical research moves slowly. 

Just months into her role as research coordinator at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, she witnesses the falsity of that claim on a daily basis.   

"In oncology, the pace can be very fast because new discoveries and therapies are constantly emerging,"Hannah said. "Each protocol is incredibly detailed and highly regulated, so balancing speed with scientific integrity is a big part of the work." 

Together with the University of Pittsburgh, UPMC Hillman is an National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center. Hannah's job is to support clinical trials within the UPMC Hillman Breast Cancer Center as well as the Immunotherapy and Drug Development Center. She manages study operations for both disease and modality areas — including protocol implementation, regulatory compliance, patient screening and enrollment, plus ensuring data is collected accurately and ethically. 

It's a position that sits at the intersection of research operations, patient interaction, and scientific communication — a junction she is comfortable in thanks to her time in Northwestern Engineering's Master of Biotechnology Program (MBP).  

"MBP appealed to me because it combined rigorous biotechnology theory with hands-on, industry-relevant experience," Hannah said. "I liked that it wasn’t purely academic — the program connects scientific concepts to real-world applications." 

Hannah routinely makes those connections at UPMC Hillman. She's working on a variety of trials that range from first-in-human through Phase III trials. She also recently participated in a T-cell therapy effort that included leukapheresis — a procedure where a patient's white blood cells are collected to be engineered into a cellular therapy. 

Hannah's work also spans infusions, injections, and oral therapies. As a result, she often collaborates with different clinical teams, allowing her to learn how they work and better understand how each type of study runs.  

"I want to develop deeper expertise in clinical operations and oncology-specific research," she said. "I’d also like to continue building strong relationships with the research teams and industry sponsors I work with and become someone they trust for reliability, accuracy, and cross-team coordination." 

Learning how to communicate clearly and collaborate across disciplines were key takeaways from her time in MBP.  

"Some of the most important lessons involved how to think like a scientist while also understanding the practical constraints of translating research into products or therapies," Hannah said. "The program emphasized adaptability and problem-solving, two skills that transfer directly into complex and fast-paced research environments."   

She also credited the research opportunities in MBP for teaching her important writing protocols and steps for completing Institutional Review Board submissions.  

Those experiences prepared her to navigate studies more confidently and effectively. 

As a student, Hannah worked on a drug development project for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and traumatic brain injury. She was named one of the top oral presenters at the annual MBP Fall Research Symposium for taking technical information and presenting it in a non-technical way.  

"The ability to interpret protocols, evaluate data quality, and understand the biological rationale behind a study comes directly from my MBP training," she said. "The program also helped me learn how to work effectively with people from different scientific backgrounds, which is essential in clinical trials." 

Hannah is excited to be a part of the process that directly links discovery work to patient impact. When it comes to cancer research, small improvements in trial efficiency or data quality can make a meaningful difference in how quickly new therapies reach patients.  

Her goal is to continue making that difference moving forward. 

"MBP gave me both the scientific foundation and the professional readiness to step into a research environment and contribute quickly," she said. "The hands-on projects, exposure to real industry challenges, and emphasis on communication prepared me for the responsibility of managing complex clinical studies. The emphasis on translational thinking, bridging research and application, is exactly what my current role is built around."