Heather Hayenga never set out to study cancer. Her career began in cardiovascular research, fueled by the sudden loss of her father to a heart attack at just 52. But in 2013, everything changed when Heather herself was diagnosed with solitary fibrous tumor, a rare and aggressive cancer.

In this powerful conversation, Heather opens up about:

• How personal tragedy inspired her early work in cardiovascular modeling
• The pivot from heart disease to oncology after her own diagnosis
• Developing CRISPR-based, RNA-targeting, and immunotherapy approaches in her lab
• Balancing life as a mom, professor, and patient while paving new pathways in rare cancer research
• Why she believes individualized medicine is the future of both oncology and cardiovascular care

Heather’s story is one of grit, hope, and the belief that science and humanity are strongest when they work together.

Highlights

• From basketball court tragedy to a lifelong career in medical research
• Building cardiovascular modeling tools that may soon change clinical decision-making
• Engineering CRISPR and RNA-based solutions for solitary fibrous tumor
• Navigating the realities of rare cancer: few patients, limited data, and creative therapies
• Balancing academia, motherhood, and patient life with unshakable determination

Top 3 Key Takeaways

1. Hardship fuels innovation — personal experiences can ignite a research mission that impacts millions.
2. Rare doesn’t mean hopeless — breakthroughs in ultra-rare cancers can ripple into treatments for more common diseases.
3. Medicine is becoming personal — the future lies in patient-specific therapies and collaborative care.

About the Guest

Heather Hayenga, PhD is an associate professor of bioengineering at the University of Texas at Dallas. Her career began in cardiovascular modeling after the sudden loss of her father to a heart attack. In 2013, Heather was diagnosed with solitary fibrous tumor, a rare cancer that radically reshaped her research path.

Since then, she has spearheaded efforts in CRISPR-based therapies, RNA-targeting strategies, immunotherapies, and drug repurposing—merging her expertise as a scientist with her lived experience as a patient. A devoted mother and mentor, Heather is proof that resilience and innovation can coexist even in life’s hardest battles.

About the Host:

Dr. Peter Crane is a board-certified physician, educator, and storyteller with a heart for service and a calling to spotlight doctors who make a difference—in their communities, in medicine, and in the lives they touch.

Through Doctors Making a Difference, he brings you into intimate conversations with physicians who have overcome challenges, redefined success, and found purpose in and beyond the clinic. His goal is simple: to help more doctors stay in medicine by showing them what's possible.

About the Show:

Doctors Making a Difference is more than a podcast—it’s a movement to highlight the good, the gritty, and the deeply human side of medicine.

In every episode, Dr. Peter Crane interviews physicians whose stories defy the script. From burnout recovery to bold career pivots, health challenges to quiet leadership, this show honors the truth that healing begins with connection—and doctors, too, deserve to be whole.

Visit: doctorsmakingadifference.com

The Doctors Making a Difference Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult appropriate experts regarding your unique circumstances.

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