University of Florida Health Cancer Institute

03/03/2026

The University of Florida College of Medicine department of radiation oncology is getting a new name, honoring two longtime donors and alumni: The Alan H. Porter, M.D., & Claudia B. Porter, R.N., Department of Radiation Oncology.

“This investment means a great deal to us,” Alan Porter said. “The university provided endless opportunities and an education experience that we both cherish. We feel it is important and a privilege to give back in this way. We are honored to further partner with the College of Medicine.”

Learn more about the change and the Porters at https://ufhealth.org/news/2026/uf-college-of-medicine-renames-department-for-dedicated-donors-and-alumni.

03/02/2026

Meet Lars Noah, a leading voice in food & drug law and new member of the UF Health Cancer Institute. Recently named the most impactful food and drug law scholar in the nation by HeinOnline, Noah has spent 35 years examining how agencies like the U.S. Food and Drug Administration shape the future of cancer research, prevention, and treatment.

From drug approvals to toxic tort litigation, his work reveals how legal institutions influence the science that protects public health.

Read more:

Lars Noah has spent 35 years studying the work of various federal regulatory agencies that attend to public health.

02/27/2026

We recently hosted the second session of our Oncology Clinical Trial Bootcamp, focused on trial ex*****on. The event brought together early-stage oncology investigators for a practical, in-depth discussion on moving studies from concept to implementation.

Participants reviewed the key steps in executing a clinical trial, including study startup procedures, regulatory requirements, monitoring and data management. The session also highlighted the institutional resources available to support investigators throughout the process.

Attendees gained more confidence in navigating operational and regulatory pathways and a clearer understanding of how to access support when needed. The session reinforced the critical role investigators play in translational research and in advancing well-designed clinical trials that ultimately improve patient care.

02/26/2026

March is Awareness Month. Don’t miss this webinar, where you can learn valuable cancer prevention tips and empower yourself to live a healthy lifestyle!

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common and preventable cancers, and experts from UF IFAS Extension FCS, UF IFAS Extension Hillsborough County, and UF/IFAS Leon County Extension are helping Floridians take action.

Join a free, one-hour webinar at noon on March 2 to learn practical, science-based ways to reduce your risk through healthy habits, nutrition, and screening. The session will include expert guidance and a live cooking demonstration with easy ways to add more fiber to your meals.

Prevention starts with knowledge. To register, click the link 🔗 tr.ee/I6aGKaSYUH

02/25/2026

Join us this Thursday for our February Cancer Connections virtual lecture! Vicki Piazza, BBS, TTS, of UF AHEC, will discuss to***co cessation services, including counseling, educational resources and community support. She will highlight the impact of to***co use on cancer risk and share evidence-based strategies to help people quit. Register: https://go.ufl.edu/ismllkc

02/24/2026

John Ligon, M.D., co-leader of our Translational Research Council, has been honored with the 2026 UF College of Medicine Rising Star Researcher in Clinical Science award.

Ligon is an assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics who studies immunotherapies to treat pediatric cancer. His focus is advancing new treatments that harness the immune system into early-phase pediatric clinical trials, including some involving lipid nanoparticles that are available only at the University of Florida.

Congratulations, Dr. Ligon!

02/24/2026

The UF Health Cancer Institute’s Predoctoral Awards are empowering early-stage researchers at a pivotal moment in their training. Over the past decade, the program has supported 51 University of Florida doctoral students, fueling innovative cancer research with an investment of more than $500,000 in the next generation of cancer researchers.

“By backing these trainees early, we’re helping accelerate discoveries that ultimately matter for patients,” said Dietmar Siemann, Ph.D., associate director for education and training at the UF Health Cancer Institute.

Read the full story to learn more and hear from alumni about how the program impacted their careers:

Now celebrating its 10th anniversary, the program has made an institutional investment of $510,000 in training the next generation of cancer researchers.

02/22/2026

Our team had a wonderful time at the Ocala Royal Dames for Cancer Research, Inc annual gala last night! ✨

The Ocala Royal Dames have generously provided more than $2 million to the UF Health Cancer Institute to date, allowing us to advance cancer research that's making a difference for the patients we serve and help us train the next generation of cancer researchers and care providers.

At the gala, Elias Sayour, M.D., Ph.D., co-leader of our Immuno-Oncology and Microbiome research program, was awarded the Ocala Royal Dames' 2026 Royal Knight award.

"I believe we are making a difference," Sayour said in accepting the award. "We've made tremendous progress. That progress has been in large measure due to the Ocala Royal Dames."

Sayour, a UF Health pediatric oncologist and the Stop Children’s Cancer/Bonnie R. Freeman Professor for Pediatric Oncology Research, has received funding from the Ocala Royal Dames twice, including seed funding that paved the way for his team's recent success with mRNA therapeutics.

"You have allowed patients who shouldn't be alive to go to their daughter's wedding, to walk her down the aisle," Sayour said. "You can't put a price on that. That matters. These outcomes have been created through research, research that the Ocala Royal Dames has funded. While we have a ways to go still, we're on this journey together."

Congratulations, Dr. Sayour! Please help us thank the Ocala Royal Dames for their tremendous support.

02/20/2026

UF Health Cancer Institute members Carla Fisher, Ph.D., and Deidre Pereira, Ph.D., have been selected for the first cohort of a National Cancer Institute training program aimed at expanding caregiver support in cancer centers across the nation.

Today on , we celebrate the families and friends who care for those with cancer. Learn more about how our researchers are working to address the needs of cancer caregivers and reduce the burden of cancer:

In February, two members of UF Health Cancer Institute will begin their 10-month training program with INCITE (INcreasing Caregiver support Implementation through Training and Education). Carla L. Fisher, Ph.D. a behavioral scientist with a clinical social work background, has teamed with Deidre B.....