Paul Nghiem, MD, PhD, and his team at Fred Hutch Cancer Center and UW Medicine are internationally acclaimed for groundbreaking discoveries that have transformed care for patients with Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), a rare and aggressive skin cancer. But that’s only part of what this exceptional team has accomplished over the past two decades. In partnership with patients and families and other generous supporters, Dr. Nghiem has built an unparalleled MCC research and care enterprise that reaches patients and providers everywhere.

In January 2025, we launched the Merkel Cell Carcinoma Collaborative (MC3) Institute to accelerate and streamline research and improve treatment options for patients. The MC3 Institute, under Dr. Nghiem’s leadership, provides a robust new organizational structure to ensure the team’s diverse activities and resources can thrive for the long term while creating avenues for new collaborations that increase the impact of our research. The MC3 Institute also formalizes our program’s global leadership in MCC, helping us attract the best clinicians, scientists, and trainees and establishing our program as a hub for scientific innovation.

As we enter this new era, our extraordinary community is more important than ever. Your support fuels our efforts to understand, treat, and cure MCC — and it drives discoveries that improve the lives of people and families facing this disease.

If you would like to send a check, please make it payable to “Fred Hutch Cancer Center” and write “MC3 Institute” in the memo line and send to: 

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center

1100 Fairview Ave N

Mail Stop J5-200

Seattle, WA 98109

If you would like to explore other ways to donate in support of our Merkel Cell Carcinoma program, or if you have any questions, please contact Megan Little, director of Philanthropic Gifts, at mlittle2@fredhutch.org or 206.667.5799.