March 15, 2018

Joshi Alumkal, M.D., was appointed on Feb. 28 as the inaugural recipient of the Wayne D. Kuni & Joan E. Kuni Foundation Endowed Chair for Prostate Cancer. Interim President of the OHSU Foundation, Rebecca Auman, Director and Deputy Director, respectively, of the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute, Brian J. Druker, M.D., and Tomasz M. Beer, M.D., and OHSU Provost Elena M. Andresen, Ph.D., joined Dr. Alumkal during the investiture.

Raised in Texas, Dr. Alumkal received his medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine, and completed his internal medicine residency training at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. He then pursued medical oncology fellowship training and a post-doctoral fellowship at Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Alumkal was recruited to the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute in 2007. He is associate professor of medicine and molecular and medical genetics, OHSU School of Medicine, and co-leader of the OHSU Prostate Cancer Research Program.

Dr. Alumkal is a physician-scientist who focuses on understanding the complex problem of prostate cancer and improving outcomes for patients with this disease. His team's research goal is to translate laboratory findings into "smart" clinical trials for men with advanced prostate cancer, ultimately hoping to confirm that new medicines have hit their target or identify workarounds in tumor cells that lead to resistance. Outside of his OHSU work, Dr. Alumkal spends time with his wife Kathleen Kemmer, M.D., assistant professor of medicine, OHSU School of Medicine, and his son Nicholas and daughter Catherine. He enjoys spending time in the outdoors, playing soccer and diving into new books.

The Kuni Foundation was established by couple Wayne and Joan Kuni after a long-term devotion to community service in the Pacific Northwest and generous donations to medical, educational and human service organizations. This private foundation supports medical research for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer and provides support to adults with developmental disabilities. The Kuni Foundation upholds their strong legacy for compassion, generosity and commitment to service.

Related

Kuni Foundation gift establishes chair for prostate cancer leader Joshi Alumkal, M.D.

Dr. Alumkal will deliver a Marquam Hill Lecture on Thursday, May 17

Pictured

Celebrating the chair: (top photo, from left) Dr. Beer, Greg Goodwin, Carolyn Miller, Dr. Alumkal, Sean Kuni, Grover Bagby, M.D., Dr. Andresen, Dr. Druker, Angela Hult and Rick Melching. Goodwin, Miller, Kuni and Melching are members of the Kuni Foundation Board of Directors; Hult is president. Dr. Bagby is professor emeritus of medicine, OHSU School of Medicine, and former director, OHSU Knight Cancer Institute.

Medallion of honor: (second photo) Dr. Alumkal receives a medal bearing the name of the Wayne D. Kuni & Joan E. Kuni Foundation Endowed Chair for Prostate Cancer from Provost Andresen.