Bradley Cairns, PhD
CEO of Huntsman Cancer Institute
Bradley Cairns, PhD, who became CEO of Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah (the U) in 2025, is part of a leadership team spearheading the U’s efforts to make Utah an academic leader in AI.
Cairns and colleagues from across the U are working to build an AI “supercomputer” system, one that will expand the capacity for Utah-based projects in AI and innovation. The proposed $50 million public-private partnership which includes a generous $10M donation from the Huntsman family - will increase the U’s AI computing power, storage, and infrastructure.
“The deployment of the AI supercomputer will have far-reaching impacts. Huntsman Cancer Institute investigators at our Salt Lake City location and future Huntsman Cancer Institute Comprehensive Cancer Center in Vineyard will have access to this incredible resource, as will scientists across the university and other Utah universities,” says Cairns. “This cutting-edge project will help researchers make great strides in advancing health in a variety of areas, including mental health and Alzheimer’s disease, and certainly in cancer.”
Cairns is also leading efforts to use AI in updating the Utah Population Database (UPDB), one of the world’s richest sources of in-depth resources on genetics, epidemiology, and public health. The information in the UPDB has been instrumental in identifying the breast cancer-causing genes BRCA1 and BRCA2, as well as significant gene discoveries in colon cancer and melanoma—among many other cancers.
Cairns says the addition of AI analysis will allow researchers to use the UPDB’s many datasets more fully and efficiently and to make connections between genes and disease in entirely new ways.
“Upgrading the UPDB to have AI machine-learning capability in a secure environment will greatly enhance our ability to discover new genes, which is a feature we have been renowned for in the past,” says Cairns. “AI will also allow us to analyze vast sources of information and better understand how certain genes interact with their environment.”
He adds that an AI-enhanced UPDB will also make it easier to identify genes that allow for resistance against cancer and other diseases, which is a planned focus of the new Huntsman Cancer Institute in Vineyard.
“There are families out there who have disease-causing genes. They have the mutations that should cause disease, but they don’t get sick. The question is, why don’t they get the disease?” says Cairns. “The possibility is that they additionally have one or more gene mutations or amplifications that are mitigating that disease in their genomes. Once we identify those health-preserving genes and mutations, we then can develop therapeutics which either activate or repress those genes as informed by the genetics.”
Cairns says he is honored to take the helm of Huntsman Cancer Institute after the former CEO Mary Beckerle, PhD, stepped down from the role in September 2025. Beckerle accepted an invitation to join the Huntsman Cancer Foundation Board of Directors where she remains actively involved advancing philanthropic opportunities for the organization.
“The mission, vision, and values of Huntsman Cancer Institute are so near and dear to my heart,” says Cairns. “I’ve been here almost 29 years now, and these values permeate every part of me. I’m just delighted to serve in the role.”
Sachin Apte MD, MS, MBA
Chief Clinical Officer of Huntsman Cancer Institute and Physician-in-chief of the Cancer Hospital
Sachin Apte, MD, MS, MBA, chief clinical officer and physician-in-chief at Huntsman Cancer Institute and professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the U, is excited about the technological advancements that will improve cancer care for Huntsman Cancer Institute patients, particularly in AI.
“We’re poised to see extraordinary progress in AI-enabled oncology care,” says Apte. “Cancer care, in particular, is becoming increasingly complex and personalized. AI will empower both clinicians and patients to navigate vast amounts of data with great effectiveness and ease, leading to more bespoke and effective treatments.”
Apte hopes AI tools that help with important tasks like documentation, for example, requires significant amounts of time for everyone involved in a patient’s care.
“By reducing administrative burden, these advances will allow a patient’s care team to have more time engaging with their patient. Beyond administrative tasks, there is a vast array of potential AI applications such as clinical decision support, patient access and navigation, and clinical operations,” says Apte. “But these tools do need to be carefully validated for safety and efficacy. The AI tools we want to bring in will have to meet the hurdle of improving the quality care and human touch that is a priority at Huntsman Cancer Institute.”
In addition to advances in AI, Apte spotlights other clinical updates at Huntsman Cancer Institute. In 2025, the institute completed a major upgrade to its robotic surgery platform, becoming the first academic hospital in the Western United States to fully transition to the da Vinci 5 robotic surgical systems. This next-generation technology enhances precision, surgical feedback, and safety in minimally invasive cancer surgeries.
Apte adds that Huntsman Cancer Institute is also updating its infrastructure to provide cutting-edge care in theranostics, a specialized treatment that combines “therapeutics” and “diagnostics.” Theranostics, or radioligand therapy, is a strategy that uses targeted radioactive drugs to both find and destroy cancer cells. Theranostics is a rapidly evolving treatment modality which is being applied to a broader range of cancers. Institute leaders have also invested in the latest nuclear medicine scanners available. Efforts are also underway to develop new clinical care space for this groundbreaking therapy.
“Cancer care is advancing rapidly, and we’re embracing technologies that allow us to deliver care that is more precise, personalized, and compassionate,” says Apte. “We’re building a future where innovation strengthens the human connection at the center of Huntsman Cancer Institute’s quality care.”
Neli Ulrich, PhD, MS
Executive Director of the Comprehensive Cancer Center at Huntsman Cancer Institute
Neli Ulrich, PhD, MS, chief scientific officer and executive director of the Comprehensive Cancer Center at Huntsman Cancer Institute, and Jon M. and Karen Huntsman Presidential Professor in Cancer Research in the Department of Population Health Sciences at the U, emphasizes how research continues to enhance Huntsman Cancer Institute’s ability to provide innovative cancer care delivery, especially for patients in rural and frontier areas.
This is part of a concerted effort to reduce distance as a barrier to cancer prevention and care. The area Huntsman Cancer Institute serves encompasses five vast Mountain West states—Utah, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, and Wyoming. According to Ulrich, 30% of Huntsman Cancer Institute’s patients travel more than 150 miles for specialized treatment. A quarter of them come from rural and frontier areas.
She is especially pleased with ongoing efforts in decentralized clinical trials, an initiative that allows patients to take part in lifesaving clinical trials using local resources for things like routine blood draws, combined with remote monitoring, while remaining closer to home.
“So many Huntsman Cancer Institute leaders have come together to figure out how people living in rural areas can still benefit from the newest treatments and the most exciting discoveries in cancer care,” says Ulrich.
Huntsman Cancer Institute has also received a highly impactful federal grant from the ARPA-H Paradigm program to broaden specialized access to care in some of Utah’s rural counties.
“This innovative project entails the creation of electric vehicles that can travel to remote locations to deliver care for patients who live far away from Huntsman Cancer Institute,” says Ulrich. “They will not have to travel across mountain passes or drive several hours. Instead, we are testing how they can get cancer care quickly and efficiently in their community.”
Huntsman Cancer Institute has also made significant strides in the region to implement evidence-based interventions in smoking cessation, HPV vaccination, and colorectal screening, in cooperation with community health centers and Departments of Health in Utah, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, and Wyoming.
Going forward, Ulrich says that the development of Huntsman Cancer Institute in Vineyard, Utah—located 33.5 miles south of its original location in one of the fastest-growing areas of the country—will broaden opportunities in both research, training, and care. Set to open in 2028, the Vineyard location serve approximately 55,000 patients per year, reducing the travel burden for care by approximately one million miles per year. Ulrich and other leaders plan to conduct top therapeutic trials there while harnessing the power of AI and data science; and studying ways to improve access to cancer clinical trials for patients who live far from a major medical center.
Ulrich adds that she is thrilled to have continued bipartisan support for cancer research.
“This enthusiasm is critical in making so many innovations possible—whether it’s immunotherapy, theranostics, or innovations in prevention to keep people from getting cancer in the first place,” says Ulrich. “Huntsman Cancer Institute’s unique focus on people who live far from a major medical center is both a moral imperative and has the opportunities to improve care for communities around the world.”
In Other News
Utah’s federal congressional delegation formally recognized Huntsman Cancer Institute for exceptional service to Utah families as the National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center for the Mountain West and a world leader in cancer research, prevention and care. The acknowledgement, led by Senator Mike Lee, underscores how sustained federal recognition and support strengthens access to lifesaving treatment, advances research innovation, and improves outcomes for patients.
One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime, according to the American Cancer Society. Many don’t understand how genetics and biology can significantly raise individual risk. The latest episode of our podcast, Delivering a Cancer-Free Frontier, explores how higher risk women can better assess their chances and take proactive steps to reduce their risk.
Discovery Innovations showcases the latest advances in cancer treatment, research, and prevention. These achievements demonstrate progress made in ending cancer as we know it.
Funding for the research necessary to achieve these advances comes from state and federal support, Huntsman Cancer Foundation, and donations from individuals like you.
The critical research happening every day at Huntsman Cancer Institute is supported by the National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute, including cancer center support grant P30 CA042014, as well as Huntsman Cancer Foundation.
Media Contact
Heather Simonsen
Public Affairs Senior Manager
Huntsman Cancer Institute
801 581-3194
public.affairs@hci.utah.edu
About Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah
Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah is the National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center for Utah, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, and Wyoming. With a legacy of innovative cancer research, groundbreaking discoveries, and world-class patient care, we are transforming the way cancer is understood, prevented, diagnosed, treated, and survived. Huntsman Cancer Institute focuses on delivering the most advanced cancer healing and prevention through scientific breakthroughs and cutting-edge technology to create pioneering cancer treatments beyond the standard of care today. We have more than 400 open clinical trials and more than 300 research teams studying cancer. More genes for inherited cancers have been discovered at Huntsman Cancer Institute than at any other cancer center. Our scientists are world-renowned for understanding how cancer begins and using that knowledge to develop innovative approaches to treat each patient’s unique disease. Huntsman Cancer Institute was founded by Jon M. and Karen Huntsman.