Biomarker-Driven Care for Lung Cancer Patients in Minnesota
The Minnesota Biomarker Summit convenes providers from across the state to connect, collaborate, and share practical, real-world strategies for improving access to biomarker testing. Through shared learning and proven solutions, the summit aims to accelerate progress and improve lung cancer outcomes statewide.
Why this matters: Lung cancer survival is improving—but gaps in biomarker testing continue to limit access to optimal care. The five-year U.S. lung cancer survival rate is 29.7%, while Minnesota leads the nation at 33.7%, due in large part to expanded access to biomarker testing and precision medicine. By learning from one another and advancing equitable access to biomarker testing we can continue to close gaps in care and push survival rates even higher.
Date: October 2, 2026
Time: 7:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Location: Mystic Lake Conference Center, 2400 Mystic Lk Blvd, Prior Lake, MN 55372
Virtual: Virtual attendance available
Registration: FREE
This summit is designed for healthcare professionals involved in lung cancer care including the full multidisciplinary care team; oncologists, primary care providers, and key clinical partners.
RegistrationAGENDA
7:30 – 8:15 a.m. | Registration, Networking Breakfast & Resource Tables
8:15 – 8:30 a.m. | Welcome & Meeting Goals – Host Joseph Leach, MD, Medical Oncologist
8:30 – 10:15 a.m. | SESSION 1 – Biomarker Testing in Practice: Minnesota Year-in-Review
Updates on how biomarker testing adoption is evolving across healthcare systems in the last year. Discussion of reflex testing workflows, tissue vs. liquid biopsy, turnaround times, pathology reporting, access/equity, operational barriers and solutions.
Moderator – Bob Kratzke, MD Medical Oncologist, Professor, Department Chair, University of Minnesota Medical School
Speaker Panel
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- Faysal Haroun, MD – Hematology Oncology, University of Minnesota Masonic Cancer Center, M Health Fairview Ridges Hospital
- Madhuri Rao, MD, FACS – Associate Professor of Surgery, Director of Robotic Thoracic Surgery, M Health Fairview Masonic Cancer Clinic, University of Minnesota Medical School
- Charlene Fares, MD – Medical Oncologist, Allina Health Cancer Institute
- Sushma Tatineni, MD – Medical Oncologist and Hematologist, Minnesota Oncology
- Mark Klein, MD – Hematology Oncology, Associate Professor, VA Healthcare System
- Ying-Chun Lo, MD, PhD – Pathologist, Mayo Clinic
10:15 – 10:30 a.m. | Break & Resource Tables
10:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. | Session 2 – Advances in Biomarker-Driven Lung Cancer Treatment | Updates on biomarker-driven therapy and recent learnings from ASCO and WCLC 2026.
Focus areas: EGFR, ALK, ROS1, KRAS, MET, RET, BRAF, NTRK, HER2, PD-L1; sequencing, resistance, re-biopsy/liquid biopsy, and practice-changing data.
Speakers
- Manish Patel, DO – Medical Oncologist, Associate Professor, University of Minnesota Medical School
- Aditi Singh, MD, MPH – Thoracic, Head & Neck Medical Oncologist, Minneapolis VA Healthcare System
- Tassos Dimou, MD – Medical Oncologist, Mayo Clinic
12:15 – 12:45 p.m. | Networking Lunch & Resource Tables
12:45 – 1:00 p.m. | Patient Advocacy Story
1:00 – 2:30 p.m. | Session 3 – Biomarkers and the New Wave of Clinical Trials in Minnesota
How biomarkers are shaping clinical trials locally. Systems present biomarker-driven trials and referral pathways.
Possible topics: active/upcoming trials, screening and matching workflows, molecular tumor boards, referral pathways across Minnesota, and improving trial access.
Moderator: Joseph Leach, MD, Medical Oncologist
Speaker Panel
- Manish Patel, DO – Medical Oncologist, Associate Professor, University of Minnesota Medical School
- Eric M. Lander, MD – Medical Oncologist, Site Research Leader, Minnesota Oncology
- Kostas Leventakos, MD, PhD – Medical Oncologist, Assistant Professor, Mayo Clinic
