“The group of institutions and researchers that form the ReMission Alliance Against Brain Tumors constitute, to my knowledge, the largest collective effort focused specifically on advancing safe and effective immunotherapy for children and adults with brain cancer,” said Duane Mitchell, M.D., Ph.D., co-director of UF’s Preston A. Wells Jr. Center for Brain Tumor Therapy. “We’re honored to work alongside these talented investigators and believe that this type of collaboration will create unprecedented momentum in our effort to improve the lives of those suffering from brain tumors.” READ MORE
Headlines
News + Announcements
Cancer Research News
UF Health researchers find “switch” that lets common, cancer-causing virus replicate
Many viruses are master manipulators, hijacking cellular functions to propagate, spread and avoid elimination by their hosts’ immune system. Now, University of Florida researcher Sumita Bhaduri-McIntosh, M.D., Ph.D., and her graduate student Eric M. Burton have discovered how the common, cancer-causing Epstein-Barr virus does just that by using a complex of proteins to emerge from a dormant state and begin replicating. READ MORE
UF Health Leads National Research Consortium with Multidisciplinary Focus
A consortium of U.S. academic medical centers is in its fifth year of active research, conducting studies on how chronic pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer and diabetes are linked. University of Florida Health is one of 10 participating centers and is focusing on these diseases in adults.
The Consortium for the Study of Chronic Pancreatitis, Diabetes and Pancreatic Cancer Clinical Centers, which is sponsored by the National Institutes of Health and the National Cancer Institute, is exploring the relationship between the diseases, said Christopher Forsmark, M.D., chief of the UF College of Medicine’s division of gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition. READ MORE
In Hot Pursuit of RAS Inhibition
Featuring Thomas George, M.D., FACP, associate director of clinical research at the UF Health Cancer Center
Rat Sarcoma (RAS) is the most commonly mutated gene in human malignancies, estimated to be mutated in 30% of cancer cells, and, therefore, it is a logical target for drug therapies. Overall, RAS mutations are present in 98% of pancreatic cancers, 52% of colorectal cancers (CRC), 43% of multiple myelomas, 32% of non–small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) and 29% of melanomas. READ MORE
12 leading medical centers unite to form brain tumor research collaborative
Announcements
Research Day 2020
The UF Health Cancer Center Research Day 2020 takes place on Tuesday, March 17 at 5 p.m. in the UF Harrell Medical Education Building.
This annual event includes a keynote presentation by a nationally renowned cancer researcher, a judged poster session with prizes for the top trainee posters and three-minute thesis presentations by the UFHCC Predoctoral Award recipients.
Free professional portrait

UF Health Creative Services offers open studio hours at Communicore C2-20 every month. Simply stop by during one of the time slots listed on the bottom of their webpage — there’s no need to sign up beforehand, and it only takes five minutes! Here are some of the upcoming sessions:
- 3/3 | 9-10 a.m.
- 3/5 | 3-4 p.m.
- 3/16 | 9-10 a.m.
- 3/18 | 3-4 p.m.
- 3/31 | 9-10 a.m.
- 4/02 | 3-4 p.m.
- 4/13 | 9-10 a.m.
- 4/15 | 3-4 p.m.
- 4/28 | 9-10 a.m.
- 4/30 | 3-4 p.m.