Research Programs 2021
UF Health Cancer Center Research Programs
The research priorities of the UF Health Cancer Center cut across and align with our three research programs.
Cancer Control & Population Sciences (CCPS)
Mission:
The mission of the Cancer Control & Population Sciences Research Program is to understand and reduce cancer risks and cancer-related burden within the UFHCC catchment area.
Program Co-Leaders:
Membership:
102 members from 10 colleges and 35 departments/schools
Program Aims:
- Elucidate molecular, behavioral, social, environmental, and other risk factors in cancer incidence and mortality
- Develop and evaluate primary and secondary cancer prevention interventions
- Address the unique needs of cancer survivors
Cancer Therapeutics & Host Response (CTHR)
Mission:
The mission of the Cancer Therapeutics & Host Response Research Program is to advance understanding of interactions between tumor cells, immune cells, and microbiota that mediate tumor development, progression and host responses, and to develop therapeutics that capitalize on these mechanisms and interactions.
Program Co-Leaders:
Membership:
135 members from eight colleges and 33 departments/schools
Program Aims:
- Elucidate principles of cancer immunobiology to develop novel immunotherapies for refractory malignancies
- Define microbiome function in cancer development and therapeutics
- Discover and develop targeted therapeutics engaging key cancer pathways
- Translate scientific discoveries into early phase clinical trials
Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO)
Mission:
The mission of the Mechanisms of Oncogenesis Research Program is to elucidate the genetic and epigenetic events dysregulated during neoplastic transformation and malignant progression to identify new cancer biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
Program Co-Leaders:
Membership:
61 members from seven colleges and 25 departments/schools
Program Aims:
- Elucidate the role of genetic and epigenetic alterations in cancer
- Define the role of regulatory microRNAs and long noncoding RNAs in oncogenesis
- Translate MOO discoveries into novel therapeutic approaches
Working Groups
Our three research programs have organized the following working groups aligned with program-specific aims. The research program leaders work closely with the working group leaders to provide support for basic scientists and clinical investigators. The objective of these groups is to provide a platform for investigators to interact, disseminate ideas, create new collaborations and strengthen ongoing interactions, with the goal of increasing submissions of multi-PI grant applications. The working groups include research program members, as well as postdoctoral fellows, graduate students and research faculty from across UF.
- Breast Cancer Working Group
- Cancer and Aging Working Group
- Cancer Artificial Intelligence Working Group
- Cancer Communication & Technology Working Group
- Health Disparities Working Group
- Lung Cancer Research Working Group
- Microbiome Working Group
- Pediatric Cancer Immunotherapy Working Group
- Targeted Therapeutics Working Group
- Tobacco Control Working Group
- Virology Working Group
Research Programs in Action
The three UF Health Cancer Center research programs hold monthly meetings and annual retreats and have established working groups centered on specific research program aims. At program-specific monthly meetings, research program members gather to address areas of common research interest, discuss current research projects, collaborate to achieve specific arms, foster professional and program development, and identify member needs. Each research program also hosts an annual retreat to present research and brainstorm potential research projects that align with the program’s mission and aims. The retreats foster new interprogrammatic interactions by including members from other research programs.