Read Time: 5 minutes
From a young age, Chris Fillmore had a curiosity. “I’ve always wanted to understand how things work, why things work—how do organisms live and die, how does this work? Going fishing with my dad, I wondered, why does it swim this way?” He recalls with a smile.
Molecular biology, with its new, exciting discoveries, felt like the perfect fit. As he delved into the field, the world of cancer research unfolded. Every discovery held the potential to save lives. The complexity of cancer—how it starts, why it spreads—became a strong motivator.
Now as the director of the at Huntsman Cancer Institute, Chris leads a team of 28 dedicated individuals contributing behind the scenes.
“Cancer research is shifting from systemic to molecular…Breaking it down to this level is becoming the future of cancer research as well as treatment.”
“We collect samples from patients—body fluids and tumor tissues—and store those samples to help oncology research. Patients willingly sign off to help others in the name of cancer research,” he explains, while emphasizing the incredible 95% participation rate. Each sample is a gateway to understanding, an opportunity to advance cancer care.
It's a far cry from Chris’s postdoc days, when he had to gather his own samples to support his research. Now, the department he leads sources materials to help researchers improve understanding and treatment options. “We are in a place that we can now do this for people. They can just reach out and ask for samples and not spend their time doing it themselves,” he says.
Whether it’s DNA and RNA extractions, feeding samples into sequencing, or working with to stain and study tumor markers, his team works closely with pathology. “If researchers want to see what a tumor gene or protein is doing, we can help create a kind of image across a tumor section, to study the molecular behavior.”
With the field of cancer research constantly changing, Chris is at the forefront of understanding the origins of cancer at a granular level. “Cancer research is shifting from systemic to molecular. What is going on at the gene or protein level? How does it start and why? Breaking it down to this level is becoming the future of cancer research as well as treatment.”
Chris’s focus is not just on the present, but the future—particularly pediatric oncology. With exciting developments happening at Huntsman Cancer Institute and a strong emphasis on partnership with both the and , forces are combining to address childhood cancers.
“You want to help people. Cancer touches everyone. It’s affected me and my family. It’s a pretty universal thing,”
As someone who has also been affected by cancer, Chris’s drive to help is deeply personal. It’s not just about scientific curiosity anymore, it’s about giving back. “You want to help people. Cancer touches everyone. It’s affected me and my family. It’s a pretty universal thing,” he shares. When the work hits so close to home, the motivation to push forward becomes stronger.
Cancer research is not just a profession—it’s Chris’s mission. And with every patient sample, every new discovery, he’s doing his part to bring us closer to a cure.