Global Oncology Program
The Global Oncology Program advances equitable cancer care in low- and middle-income countries through research, education, outreach, capacity building, policy-making, technological innovations, and sustained international collaboration.
The Global Oncology Program at UW Carbone was launched in 2021 in an effort to streamline communication and research happening at a global scale. This program aims to:
- Increase partnerships and collaboration opportunities between researchers at UW Carbone and other institutions
- Catalogue, highlight, and promote ongoing international cancer activities within UW
- Develop a Global Oncology community in Madison, WI through networking events, seminars, conferences, workshops, and other educational activities
- Promote Global Oncology research, capacity building, and outreach efforts by supporting funding opportunities for those wanting to pursue cancer control efforts in LMICs
Our Pillars
Research and Grants
Competitive seed funding for UW faculty conducting cancer research in LMICs. Projects generate preliminary data to power NIH, philanthropic, and foundation grant applications.
Education and Training
Symposia, training sessions, undergraduate study abroad course, mentorship, and applied research experiences for students and early-career investigators.
Outreach and Partnerships
Network with institutions across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, as well as collaborations with the Big Ten Cancer Research Consortium.
Our Activities
Global Oncology Symposium
An annual two-day symposium bringing together researchers, clinicians, and funders from across the U.S. and world to accelerate global cancer research.
Pilot Grant Program
Competitive seed funding ($10K–$15K) empowering UW–Madison faculty to launch early-stage cancer research in LMICs, generating the preliminary data that unlocks NIH and philanthropic investment.
- 2025 Awardees
- Marty Pagel
- Shannon O’Reilly
- 2024 Awardees
- Robert Striker
- Krishanu Saha & Christian Capitini
Cancer Care Across Cultures: Study Abroad
A 3-week course taking UW students from Madison to Copenhagen to explore global oncology, visit Danish cancer centers, and examine cancer care across health systems.
Program Leadership
Syed Nabeel Zafar, MD, MPH
Program Director – Global Oncology
Assistant Professor – Surgical Oncology
Global Oncology Program Administrative Team
Kiruba Vembu, MD
Associate Professor (CHS), Hematology, Medical Oncology and Palliative Care
Sofia Refetoff, PhD
Community Outreach Manager, UW Carbone Cancer Center Education – Global Oncology
Faculty Members
Noelle LoConte, MD
Associate Professor – Hematology, Medical Oncology and Palliative Care
Marty Pagel, PhD
Professor, Medical Physics
Cibele B. Carroll, MD, PhD, MPH
Scientist II, UW Carbone Cancer Center
Moniba Nazeef, MBBS
Associate Professor (CHS), Hematology, Medical Oncology and Palliative Care
Muhammed Murtaza, MBBS, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Surgery | Director of the Center for Precision Medicine
Shannon O’Reilly, PhD
Associate Professor (CHS), Department Of Human Oncology
Robert Jeraj, PhD
Professor, Medical Physics and Human Oncology, Director of Entrepreneurial Fellowship Program
Kiruba Vembu, MD
Associate Professor (CHS), Hematology, Medical Oncology and Palliative Care
Publications
- Cancer Research Funding in Africa Needs Urgent Rethinking – Segun Afolaranmi and Syed Nabeel Zafar
- Afolaranmi O, Garton EM, Dada OE, Virani SS, Shour AR, Onitilo AA, Zafar SN. Cancer Research Funding in Africa. Commun Med (Lond). 2025 Jul 7;5(1):278. doi: 10.1038/s43856-025-00992-7. PMID: 40624332; PMCID: PMC12234859.
- Virani SS, Ahmed KS, Springer M, Hussain M, Christensen L, Asif F, Pervez S, Fadoo Z, Belgaumi A, Zafar SN. Cancer registries in Pakistan: a scoping review. Lancet Reg Health Southeast Asia. 2025 Jun 14;38:100615. doi: 10.1016/j.lansea.2025.100615. PMID: 40584692; PMCID: PMC12205766.
- Siddiqui MTUH, Virani SS, Shaukat F, Khursheed AA, Saleem L, Jamal A, Rizwan Khan M, Zafar SN. Urdu Translation and Validation of the COST-FACIT Tool for Assessing Financial Toxicity Among Patients Diagnosed with Cancer in Pakistan. J Cancer Allied Spec. 2025 May 29;11(1):17-23. doi: 10.2478/jcas-2025-0004. PMID: 40496031; PMCID: PMC12147700.
- Joseph A, Akinsete AM, Lasebikan NN, Adeneye S, Awofeso OM, Oladipo AT, Ajose AO, Ojo O, Merrell K, Ngwa W, Puthoff DS, Onitilo AA. The Landscape of Pediatric Radiation Oncology in Nigeria. JCO Glob Oncol. 2024 Jan;10:e2300219. doi: 10.1200/GO.23.00219. PMID: 38207247; PMCID: PMC10793986.
- Joseph A, Shour AR, Lasebikan NN, Jimoh MA, Adegboyega BC, Nwachukwu E, Awofeso O, Ajose A, Ibraheem A, Fatiregun OA, Ali-Gombe M, Aliyu UM, Kotkat AE, Biyi-Olutunde OA, Oboh EO, Zubairu IH, Haider MR, Olatosi B, Adeneye SO, Puthoff D, Onitilo AA. COVID-19-Related Treatment Cancellations and Oncology Patients’ Psychological Health in Nigeria. Clin Med Res. 2024 Jun;22(2):61-75. doi: 10.3121/cmr.2024.1854. PMID: 39231622; PMCID: PMC11374496.
- Phung MT, An PL, Vinh NN, Le HHTC, McLean K, Meza R, Mukherjee B, Lee AW, Pearce CL. A comparative study on behavior, awareness and belief about cervical cancer among rural and urban women in Vietnam. PLOS Glob Public Health. 2023 Jun 6;3(6):e0001817. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0001817. PMID: 37279208; PMCID: PMC10243615.
- Joseph A, Shour AR, Lasebikan NN, Jimoh MA, Adegboyega BC, Nwachukwu E, Awofeso O, Ajose A, Ibraheem A, Fatiregun OA, Ali-Gombe M, Aliyu UM, Kotkat AE, Biyi-Olutunde OA, Oboh EO, Zubairu IH, Haider MR, Olatosi B, Puthoff D, Onitilo AA. Examining Cancer Patients’ Perceptions of the Impact of COVID-19 on Teleoncology: Findings From 15 Nigerian Outpatient Cancer Clinics. JCO Glob Oncol. 2023 Mar;9:e2200221. doi: 10.1200/GO.22.00221. PMID: 36921242; PMCID: PMC10497253.