West Cancer Center and the University of Tennessee Health Science Center Welcome D. Neil Hayes, MD, MPH, to Lead The Cancer Research Initiative

MEMPHIS, Tenn., Sept. 7, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- West Cancer Center and the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC), in partnership with St Jude Children's Research Hospital are proud and excited to announce the appointment of D. Neil Hayes, MD, MPH, as the Scientific Director of the UT-West Institute for Cancer Research, and the Van Vleet Endowed Professor in Medical Oncology in the Department of Medicine (Division of Hematology-Oncology) with secondary appointments in the Department of Genetics, Genomics, and Informatics (GGI) and the Department of Preventive Medicine in the College of Medicine (COM) of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC). Through these leadership roles and appointments, Dr. Hayes will direct and drive funding to lead scientific initiatives for discovery in translational research for the advancement of novel cancer treatment and therapies.

Dr. Hayes will assume direction of a $25 million dollar fund raised through the combined efforts of The West Cancer Center, University of Tennessee Health Science Center and Methodist Le Bonheur Health Care. He will utilize this fund to recruit additional scientists to the UT / West Institute for Cancer Research in service of a unique program of precision cancer medicine. West Cancer Center's ultimate goal is to become an NCI designated cancer center, which is anticipated to take seven to ten years with an additional investment of $100 million.  "Dr. Hayes will lead the scientific research and discovery portion of this journey, specifically launching a program to recruit scientists focused on genomic research for the development of more personalized cancer care," replied Dr. Lee Schwartzberg, the Executive Director of the West Cancer Center.

The recruitment of Dr. Hayes was a collaboration between healthcare leaders within the partnership and St Jude Children's Research Hospital.  "Our goal was to attract Neil because of his strong background in cancer genomics and his goal of moving genomic paradigms to clinical decision making. This molecular focus that involves bringing the result to the patient is the forefront of precision/personalized medicine in cancer and other areas. He will be the focus of this approach on the UTHSC campus and at West Cancer Center," stated Dr. David Stern, Robert Kaplan Executive Dean for the College of Medicine at UTHSC.  

Dr. Hayes most recently served as co-leader of the University of North Carolina (UNC) Lineberger Clinical Research Program, Professor in the Division of Hematology/Oncology and the Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Cancer Surgery, and director of Clinical Bioinformatics at UNC. During his tenure at UNC Lineberger – a National Cancer Institute (NCI) Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center – Dr. Hayes successfully garnered over $40 million dollars in cancer research grants and funding, while simultaneously developing one of the most productive clinical trial programs for head and neck cancer in the nation. More broadly, Dr. Hayes currently is in his 10th year as a leader in efforts surrounding the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), the pivotal genomic sequencing project of the decade. His most notable accomplishments in this area include co-leading the sequencing of RNA for most of the project, and a senior role in more than 20 manuscripts reported in Cell, Nature, and the New England Journal.  Dr. Hayes lists over 120 peer-reviewed manuscripts in the last decade in the field of cancer research and is most proud of his trainee record including more than 30 students and post-doctoral fellows. While at UNC Lineberger Clinical Research Program, Dr. Hayes began work in molecular profiling in lung and head and neck cancer that shows a wide range of potential clinical utility, including the ability to predict clinical outcomes for which there are currently no existing clinical diagnostic tests

Dr. Hayes will share his expertise with the next generation of cancer providers and scientists at UTHSC, where he will have a primary appointment as a professor in the Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, and secondary appointments as a professor in the Department of Genetics, Genomics, and Informatics, and the Department of Preventive Medicine.  In terms of his collaboration with St. Jude, Dr. Hayes experience with gene expression and RNA analysis brings a unique skill set to the classification of tumors of any etiology.  We look forward to collaborations that leverage both his specific expertise as well as his broad experience in genomics and team science. Board certified in medical oncology, hematology and internal medicine, Dr. Hayes earned his medical degree from the top-rated University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, NC. He completed his residency at Boston University School of Medicine and a clinical fellowship at Tufts England Medical Center, continuing his education with a postdoctoral fellowship at the NCI Designated Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Massachusetts. Dr. Hayes also holds a Master's of Public Health from Harvard School of Public Health and a Master's of Science from Tufts New England School of Medicine.

As he looks forward, however, Dr. Hayes stated his hopes to continue his work and pursue further cancer research initiatives at the UT/West Institute of Cancer Research with a hunger for revolutionary discovery. "While I stand proudly behind a record of success in my years at UNC, my enthusiasm for the future dwarfs the accomplishments to date."  

About the University of Tennessee/ West Institute for Cancer Research
The University of Tennessee/ West Institute for Cancer Research is a not-for-profit public charity dedicated to raising funds for adult cancer research. Located in Memphis, TN, the UT/West Institute for Cancer Research solicits grants (from government agencies, foundations and individuals) to be utilized to broaden cutting-edge research programs, develop novel cancer treatments and therapeutics, and strengthen patient-focused care in all sectors of the community. Funds donated to the UT/West Institute are designated for research in five major areas of emphasis: Translational Drug Discovery and Development, Cancer Immunotherapy, Women's Cancers, Community Outcomes and WINGS Supportive Care. The generous philanthropy of our donors and benefactors provides the necessary funding for West Cancer Center researchers to create and produce the most effective therapies for cancer patients, with the collective goal of defeating cancer in its entirety.

About West Cancer Center
West Cancer Center delivers the best comprehensive cancer treatment in the Mid-South, delivering a complete continuum of care to over 30,000 individuals annually. A true leader in cancer research, West Cancer Center has a long standing commitment to providing patients access to clinical trials which includes Phase I through Phase III studies. Building on the 35 year legacy of West Clinic, West Cancer Center continues to provide comprehensive, compassionate care to the Mid-South area. This commitment is strengthened through a robust partnership with Methodist Healthcare and the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.

For more information, please visit: www.westcancercenter.org.

About University of Tennessee Health Science Center 
As Tennessee's only public, statewide, academic health system, the mission of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) is to bring the benefits of the health sciences to the achievement and maintenance of human health, with a focus on the citizens of Tennessee and the region, by pursuing an integrated program of education, research, clinical care, and public service. Offering a broad range of postgraduate and selected baccalaureate training opportunities, the main UTHSC campus is located in Memphis and includes six colleges: Dentistry, Graduate Health Sciences, Health Professions, Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy. UTHSC also educates and trains cohorts of medicine, pharmacy and/or health professions students -- in addition to medical residents and fellows -- at its major sites in Knoxville, Chattanooga and Nashville. Founded in 1911, during its more than 100 years, UT Health Science Center has educated and trained more than 57,000 health care professionals in academic settings and health care facilities across the state. For more information, visit www.uthsc.edu. Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/uthsc, on Twitter: twitter.com/uthsc and on Instagram: instagram.com/uthsc. 

CONTACT:
West Cancer Center
Caitlin McCaskill
901.683.0055 ext. 61174
cmccaskill@westclinic.com

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SOURCE West Cancer Center