In this insightful discussion, Ned Sharpless, Director of the National Cancer Institute, and Diane Simeone, a pancreatic cancer surgeon at NYU Langone, tackle the ongoing challenges of cancer research. They emphasize the staggering mortality rates of cancer, especially pancreatic cancer, and the urgent need for novel collaborative platforms to improve outcomes. The conversation highlights the transformative role of telehealth during the pandemic and proposes reforms to align research incentives with better patient outcomes, integrating big data and AI for more effective treatments.