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Cancer Research News
The CaRE2 Health Equity Center grand opening ribbon cutting took place Oct. 29 in Lake Nona, Florida.
UF awarded grant to establish a cancer health equity center
The National Cancer Institute has awarded a five-year, $16 million grant to establish a cancer health equity center at the University of Florida and partner institutions.
The Florida-California Cancer Research, Education and Engagement, or CaRE2, Health Equity Center will be an interdisciplinary, intercollegiate effort involving researchers from UF, Florida A&M University and the University of Southern California.
The center will bring together researchers from the two states with the highest cancer incidence and mortality to create a bicoastal minority cancer research and training center. Florida and California also have uniquely rich and heterogeneous populations of Blacks and Latinos, who are the focus of this study. READ MORE
Researchers discover new use of stem cells that could clear path for immunotherapy in brain cancer
University of Florida Health brain cancer researchers have discovered a new use of stem cells that could clear a revolutionary pathway to making immunotherapy drugs effective in treating brain cancer.
“This is truly one of the more exciting developments I’ve seen in our field in many years,” said Duane Mitchell, M.D., Ph.D., co-director of the Preston A. Wells Jr. Center for Brain Tumor Therapy at the University of Florida. “This discovery gives us profound insights into the mechanisms of resistance to immunotherapy drugs, and it may offer a roadmap to use immunotherapy to effectively treat many forms of cancer.” READ MORE.
Tech Licensing Announces Another Successful Partnership with Entrinsic Health Solutions Inc.
University of Florida startup Entrinsic Health Solutions Inc. (EHS), an innovative health sciences company, has entered into a partnership that provides for a worldwide commercial license and supply agreement for enterade®, an amino acid-based, glucose-free, electrolyte solution designed for oncology and gastrointestinal (GI) disease patients.
“We are excited about this partnership,” stated Dr. Sadasivan Vidyasagar, the principal inventor of the UF research team that developed the technology. “This was a collaborative effort. It took three teams: the scientific team, the UF Tech Licensing team, and the business team that Entrinsic gathered to move this technology forward.” READ MORE
Announcements
UF Health Cancer Center University Scholars Program
We are excited to announce that the UF Health Cancer Center will soon be accepting applications for the 2019-2020 cohort. We are seeking highly motivated and talented undergraduate students to develop skills as young scientists and to explore their interest in cancer research. The program is designed to provide research experience and training in basic, clinical/translational cancer research, population sciences, cancer prevention, diagnostics, epidemiology and therapeutics. Students with a desire to pursue graduate education and research careers in biomedical sciences are encouraged to apply.
Application Portal opens: January 2, 2019
Application Deadline: February 15, 2019
Learn more about the UFHCC USP Scholars Program or Download the Flier.
Lodging for outpatients, relatives of hospitalized patients being built near UF Health hospitals
UF Health Shands is building a 174-room hotel to provide convenient, high-quality accommodations for visiting outpatients and relatives of hospitalized patients.
Construction of the six-story, 124,000-square-foot UF Health Guest House at the former Rush Lake Motel site, 1410 SW 16th Ave., is under way and is expected to be completed in April 2020. It is located within walking distance or shuttle service of all nearby UF Health hospitals. The guest house will assure that patients’ families and visitors to the academic health center have high-quality accommodations when needed, UF Health officials said. READ MORE
UF Health Proton Therapy Institute install 100-ton cancer treatment technology
The UF Health Proton Therapy Institute recently reached a major milestone in the expansion of its cancer treatment capabilities. The largest piece of the new, single-room proton therapy system was lifted and lowered into the building addition at the UF Health Proton Therapy Institute Monday, Nov. 19.
The 100-ton device, roughly the weight of a 757 airplane, is called a gantry. It is the part of the proton therapy system that rotates around the patient to deliver the proton beam.
The second largest piece was delivered and installed on Tuesday, Nov. 13. It is a 55-ton cyclotron that accelerates the protons used in proton therapy.
It is part of the $39 million expansion and upgrade project started in 2016. When the equipment becomes operational next year, the cancer treatment facility will be able to treat 25 percent more patients and treat additional types of cancer.
UF Health one of 25 best hospitals to work for, according to Indeed
Indeed has released its 2018 “Top-Rated Workplaces” for hospitals and other health care employers, recognizing 25 “Best Hospitals” and 15 “Best in Healthcare.”
For this year’s Top-Rated Workplaces lists, Indeed analyzed over 72 million ratings and reviews from current and previous employees to assess which workplaces provided the best employee experiences. To be included in the lists, health care companies needed to have at least 100 reviews submitted between January 2016 and January 2018.
UF Health came in at No. 15. READ MORE
