UF Health Cancer Center is now an institute
The University of Florida has conferred the prestigious title of institute to the University of Florida Health Cancer Center, a reflection of its prominence in cancer research at UF and as one of the country’s top institutions for cancer care and research.
Institute designation is reserved for units that provide a broad array of university services across multiple colleges and requires approval from its top research leadership and the state Board of Governors. The UF elevation recognizes that the UF Health Cancer Institute has engaged not only researchers in the health science colleges, but researchers across all 16 colleges at the state’s flagship university, from Agricultural and Life Sciences to Engineering to Medicine to Veterinary Medicine.
The change reflects the institute’s upward trajectory, coming two years after it became the only National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center at a public institution in the state.
“The UF Health Cancer Institute is responsible for driving cancer research throughout our university, impacting the lives of current and future generations,” said David Norton, Ph.D., the university’s vice president for research. “The efforts of this institute and its researchers will continue to elevate UF as a powerhouse in the field.”
The change also reflects the institute’s increasing impact on cancer care in Florida, which has the nation’s second-highest cancer burden. This year, UF Health Shands Hospital was ranked among the top 50 hospitals in the country for cancer care by U.S. News & World Report.