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  • Leadership

Leadership

« Back to Accomplishments Report - 2019
Accomplishments Report - 2019
  • NCI Designation
  • Message from the Director
  • Board Chair and Vice Chairs
  • Leadership
  • 2019: Sylvester by the Numbers
  • Recruits and New Appointments
  • Key Grants and Other Funding
    • NCI Funds Sylvester Research Aimed at Improving Selection of Patients for Prostate Biopsy
    • Graduate Student in Cancer Biology Receives Early - Career Recognition and Awards
    • Sylvester Researchers Receive Grant from Hyundai Hope On Wheels®
    • Two Pancreatic Cancer Researchers Awarded Grants from the Florida Department of Health
    • American Cancer Society Awards Five-Year Grant to Urologic Surgeon
  • Research Highlights
    • A Paradigm Shift for Hard-to-Treat Sarcomas
    • Researcher Identifies Potential Target for Treating Aggressive Brain Tumors in Children
    • Mast Clinical Trial Focuses on Progression Rate of Prostate Cancer
    • Epigenetic Changes May Explain How Aging Increases Blood Cancer Risks
    • Eye Cancer Researchers at Sylvester and Bascom Palmer Identify Function of Key Tumor Suppressor
    • Sylvester Researchers Discover a Possible Pathway for Immune Therapy in Pancreatic Cancer
    • Sylvester Researchers Uncover Why PARP Inhibitors Could Be a New Treatment Option for a Common Lymphoma
    • Liver Cancer Disparities: A Complicated Picture
    • New Trial Targets Lymphoma from Two Directions
    • Clinical Trial Explores Effectiveness of New Treatment for Patients with Bladder Cancer
    • Sylvester Research Identifies Novel Vulnerability in Acute Leukemia Cells
    • Promising Findings by Sylvester Researchers Point to New Therapeutic Target for Advanced Prostate Cancer
  • Achievements and Honors
    • Dr. Stephen D. Nimer Honored with Endowed Chair
    • Cyclotron Arrives at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center
    • Dr. Charles Vogel Wins Health Care Heroes Lifetime Achievement Award
    • Graduate Student Wins Prestigious NCI Transition Award
    • Dr. Justin Watts Honored with The Pap Corps Endowed Professorship in Leukemia
    • Seven Sylvester Faculty Members Receive Awards at Zubrod Memorial Lecture
    • Sylvester Joins Precision Oncology Alliance to Share Data, Further Cancer Research
    • Sylvester Investigator Wins Prestigious Award for Advancing Urologic Research
    • Sylvester’s Radiation Oncology Team Earns Prestigious Press Ganey Award
    • Sylvester Again Recognized for Setting the Standard in Cancer Data Collection
    • Sylvester Receives Trailblazer Award from Miami Chamber
  • Public Health and Community Outreach
    • Sylvester Hosts Symposium on Preventing Cancer Among Firefighters
    • Sylvester Readies Second Game Changer™ Vehicle for Outreach to Florida Keys
  • Cancer Survivorship
  • Partners in Our Mission
    • The Dolphins Cancer Challenge Reaches New Heights with $32.5 Million Raised for Research
    • A True Friend to Sylvester Names The Dwoskin Proton Therapy Center
    • Cards for a Cure: Spreading Love and Saving Lives
    • Sylvester at Plantation Patient Support Services Opened
    • One Change Makes All the Difference

Research Leadership

Stephen D. Nimer, M.D.
Director
Oscar de la Renta Endowed Chair in Cancer Research
Professor of Medicine, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Nipun Merchant, M.D.
Associate Director, Translational Research
Professor and Chief of the Division of Surgical Oncology

J. William Harbour, M.D.
Associate Director, Basic Science
Director of Ocular Oncology
Vice Chair for Translational Research, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute
Professor of Ophthalmology

Kerry L. Burnstein, Ph.D.
Associate Director, Education and Training
Professor of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology

Jonathan Trent, M.D., Ph.D.
Associate Director, Clinical Research
Co-Director, Musculoskeletal Center, Sarcoma Medical Research Program
Professor of Medicine

Erin Kobetz, Ph.D., M.P.H.
Associate Director, Population Science and Cancer Disparity, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center
Chief, Population Health, Oncology Service Line
UHealth Vice Provost for Research, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine

Ramin Shiekhattar, Ph.D.
Co-Leader, Cancer Epigenetics
Professor of Human Genetics

Maria E. Figueroa, M.D.
Co-Leader, Cancer Epigenetics
Associate Professor, Department of Human Genetics

Wael El-Rifai, M.D., Ph.D.
Tumor Biology Program Leader
Associate Director, Program Development
Professor and Associate Vice
Chair, Academic Advancement, Department of Surgery

Craig H. Moskowitz, M.D.

Physician-in-Chief, Oncology Service Line

Barbara A. Vance, Ph.D., CRA
Assistant Vice President and Associate Director, Administration

Frank J. Penedo, Ph.D.
Associate Director, Cancer Survivorship and Translational
Behavioral Sciences 

George Grills
Associate Director, Shared Resources

Hospital Leadership

Kymberlee J. Manni, Ph.D., RCIS
Chief Executive Officer,University of Miami Hospital and Clinics

Tanira B. Ferreira, M.D.
Chief Medical Officer

Lazara Pagan
Chief Ambulatory Officer and Associate Vice President,
Oncology Services

Javier Milian
Assistant Vice President, Oncology Satellite Operations and Recruitment

Lauren Gjolaj, M.B.A., B.S.N., R.N.
Assistant Vice President, Oncology Services

Elizabeth Smith, D.N.P., R.N.
Chief Nursing Officer, University of Miami Hospital and Clinics (Bascom Palmer Eye Institute/Sylvester
Comprehensive Cancer Center/UHealth Tower)

Ancillary Services

Sarah Christensen
Vice President, Medical Development and Alumni Relations

Shawn McGee
Senior Director, Development

Lisa Worley
Assistant Vice President, Medical Communications and
Media Relations, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami Health System 

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