The goals of the UFHCC’s Pilot Project Awards Program are to:

• Provide developmental support for promising, cancer-focused collaborative research projects with a well-defined major objective or theme;
• Create synergies and lasting collaborations between cancer researchers that will lead to impactful publications and stimulate collaborative grant applications for future federal or other peer-reviewed extramural cancer research funding.

Tobacco Pilot Awardees

Jiang Bian, Ph.D., and Stephen Huo, Ph.D., M.D.

Project Title: Determining Recommendations Penetration and Spillover Effects on Lung Cancer Screening Using Social Media

Jesse Dallery, Ph.D., and François Modave, Ph.D.

Project Title: mMōtiv8: A Smartphone-Based Incentive Intervention to Promote Smoking Cessation

Chengguo Xing, Ph.D., and Natalie Silver, M.D., M.S.

Project Title: Exploring Kava to Reduce Tobacco use and Carcinogenesis Risk among Head and Neck Cancer Survivor Smokers

The Research Opportunity Seed Fund is an annual seed grant program that targets interdisciplinary, faculty-initiated research projects with potential for extramural support. The program focuses on new projects and/or new collaborative partnerships. This program is sponsored by the University of Florida Office of Research. Congratulations to our members who received this award for 2018:

Jatinder Lamba, Ph.D., Pharmacotherapy and Translational Research, College of Pharmacy

Mingyi Xie, Ph.D., Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine

Jorg Bungert, Ph.D., Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine

Carlos Rinaldi, Ph.D., Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering

The Ocala Royal Dames’ mission is to support educational programs and activities that promote, enhance, and further cancer research and education on a local and regional level. The organization awards grants every two years to Cancer Center members who are selected based on research proposals. The 2018 recipients are:

Brian K. Law, Ph.D.
Project Title: “A new approach for eradicating metastatic, drug-resistant breast cancers”

Susan Frost, Ph.D.
Project Title: “Enhancing the cytotoxic effects of B-caryophyllene (BCP) using statin drugs as a combinatorial therapy for the treatment of breast cancer”

Paul Castillo, M.D., is the recipient of the 2018 Hyundai Hope on Wheels Young Investigator Award. The Hyundai Young Investigator Award provides funding for principal investigators whose research projects are likely to have a significant impact on improving the understanding of the biology of childhood cancer. The award is a $200,000 two-year grant. For 2018, 15 grants were awarded nationally.

Congratulations to our Dress in Blue Day award winners! These UF Health nursing, clinical and administrative staff wore blue during Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month to help raise awareness for colon cancer and the importance of regular screenings to save lives.

First place: UF Health Family Medicine — Old Town
Second place: UF Health Endoscopy — South Tower
Third place: UF Health Endoscopy Center

Honorable mentions go to the surgery and medical oncology clinics.