Career pivot leads to novel cancer therapies and 'radically' improved patient outcomes
As a standout student at a premier contemporary dance school in India, Manali Kamdar's long-held dream of being a professional dancer was in reach - until a spinal injury snatched it away. Not one to give up on dreaming, however, Kamdar found another aspiration.
Today, Manali Kamdar, MD, - inspired in part by the care she received after her career-changing injury - is a highly recognized leading lymphoma researcher who has helped transform the way the most-common blood cancer is treated.
Through her work as clinical director of lymphoma services in the Division of Hematology, Kamdar has led multiple clinical trials that resulted in groundbreaking treatments and catapulted lymphoma care to the next level.
"I am now a clinical trialist at heart," said Kamdar, an associate professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. "Getting the opportunity to explore the wonders of experimental therapeutics - seeing it translate from bench to bedside and radically improve patient outcomes - was a dream come true."
A member of the CU Cancer Center, Kamdar's passion goes beyond her research and into the clinic, where she has gained the admiration of her patients and the recognition of her colleagues. In 2023, she received one of the inaugural CU School of Medicine Distinguished Clinician Awards. Kamdar talks about the inspiration behind her dreams and some of her biggest achievements In the following Q&A.
