UNC Urology and Lineberger Stand Out at the 2025 BCAN Bladder Cancer Think Tank

UNC Urology and the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center had a strong showing at the 2025 BCAN Bladder Cancer Think Tank in Washington, D.C. (July 30–August 1). This year’s attendees included UNC Urology’s Mary Dunn, MSN, NP-C, OCN, RN; Meredith Crabtree, FNP-C; and Angela Smith, MD, MS, along with UNC Lineberger members Matthew Milowsky, MD; William Kim, MD; and Jeffrey Damrauer, PhD—underscoring our department’s commitment to team-based science and patient-centered care. The meeting fostered collaborative discussion across plenary and breakout sessions and welcomed a new cohort of John Quale Travel Fellows dedicated to advancing bladder cancer research.

(From Left: Damrauer, Kim, Crabtree, Milowsky, Dunn, and Smith)

Why the Think Tank Matters

Founded in 2006, the BCAN Bladder Cancer Think Tank is the premier North American forum where clinicians, scientists, patients, and advocates align on research priorities and accelerate progress from diagnosis through survivorship. Its deliberately multidisciplinary design—bringing together urologists, medical and radiation oncologists, pathologists, social scientists, industry partners, and patient voices—creates the conditions for ideas to move from bench to bedside.

BCANTT25 carried that ethos forward with energizing plenaries and focused breakout sessions that tackled the field’s most pressing questions. The program also invested in emerging leaders through the John Quale Travel Fellowship and a dedicated Fellows’ poster session—key drivers of sustained innovation in bladder cancer.

From elevating survivorship and symptom monitoring to refining risk stratification and precision therapy, UNC teams contribute across this continuum. The Think Tank’s collaborative environment mirrors how we work every day at UNC—uniting clinicians, scientists, and patient partners to deliver innovations that matter.

A Track Record of UNC Urology Engagement

UNC’s presence at the Think Tank spans years and roles—from trainees to national leaders:

• Advanced Practice Provider/RN Scholarships (2025): Meredith Crabtree, FNP-C was selected as a 2025 APP/RN Travel Fellow. In addition to general meeting attendance, this included participation in a pre-Think Tank Workshop where APPs, RNs, and members of the BCAN staff met to collaborate on research topics, educational opportunities, and APP/RN involvement in the greater BCAN community.
• Preventive Focus & National Dialogue (2024): In conjunction with the Great American Smokeout, Associate Professor Marc Bjurlin, DO, MSc, spotlighted the link between smoking and bladder cancer on BCAN’s Bladder Cancer Matters podcast and co-chaired a Think Tank panel on cessation—advocating for stronger integration of tobacco assessment and cessation in bladder cancer care.
• John Quale Fellowship (2022): Then-Urologic Oncology fellow Kathryn Hacker Gessner, MD, PhD, was selected as a John Quale Travel Fellow, reflecting UNC’s pipeline of investigators engaged in BCAN’s collaborative research mission.
• BCAN Program Leadership (2021): Mary Dunn serves on the national Think Tank steering committee, complementing her longstanding leadership in GU oncology care and education.