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Cancer Research News
Nancy Mendenhall, M.D.
UF awarded $11.9 million for prostate cancer research comparing proton and X-ray therapies
A UF research team has been approved for a five-year, $11.9 million award to directly compare the potential benefits and harms of proton therapy to standard radiation therapy when treating prostate cancer. Nancy Mendenhall, M.D., medical director of the UF Health Proton Therapy Institute, leads the team that received funding from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, or PCORI, for a large-scale pragmatic clinical study on prostate cancer — the most common non-skin cancer afflicting men in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society. READ MORE
Diana Wilkie, Ph.D., R.N., FAAN
New UF center aims to improve palliative care, help people at every stage of illness
International expert in pain management and palliative care Diana Wilkie, Ph.D., R.N., FAAN, is leading a new interdisciplinary center at UF that aims to give this type of experience to any patient — human or animal — living with a serious or life-threatening illness. Everyone deserves not to just be treated for their health conditions, but to also have their symptoms and pain managed and to have their wishes respected, Wilkie said. Through the Center for Palliative Care Research & Education, Wilkie and colleagues across UF hope to transform care for people living with serious conditions, not only through research but also through training the next generation of palliative care providers and public education. READ MORE
Announcements
NIH “PRINCIPLES OF CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY” COURSE
The University of Florida Health Cancer Center has been selected as a remote site for the NIH’s Principles of Clinical Pharmacology course. This free course focuses on: pharmacokinetics; drug metabolism and transport; drug therapy in special populations; assessment of drug effects; drug discovery and development; pharmacogenomics and pharmacotherapy. This free course is designed for graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, medical and pharmacy students, scientists and health professionals. Each participant receives access to approximately 50 online lectures and handouts delivered by experts in their disciplines. Although not required, each participant is expected to take the online final exam, which consists of 75-100 multiple choice questions. This exam needs to be completed prior to June 30, 2018. For more information, please contact David DeRemer, Pharm.D., for program registration details.
NEW HOSPITALS
The UF Health Heart & Vascular and Neuromedicine hospitals are open for business. Sunday, Dec. 10, was patient moving day at the $415 million UF Health Heart & Vascular and Neuromedicine hospitals. READ MORE.
MILESTONE FUNDING FROM NIH
For the first time in its 61-year history, the UF College of Medicine’s annual grant awards from the National Institutes of Health eclipsed $100 million for the 2017 federal fiscal year, which ended Sept. 30. The figure contributes to a total of $141.8 million of NIH awards to the colleges, centers and institutes that comprise UF Health, the university’s academic health center. This marks the seventh consecutive year that NIH funding for UF Health has increased, advancing what we know in many areas, including cancer, diabetes and neurological diseases. Examples of the types of research attracting NIH funding include exploration of neurodegenerative diseases, the brain, cancer, diabetes, sepsis, infectious diseases and age-related diseases. READ MORE.
FOLLOW US
Have you heard? The UF Health Cancer Center is on Facebook, and we recently launched a Twitter account. If you use social media — either personally or professionally — please consider following one or both accounts! These platforms reach both internal and external audiences and are a great way to stay up-to-date with events and research news. If you have something to share on our Facebook or Twitter pages, please send to communications@cancer.ufl.edu.
