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PENN Medicine and the Abramson
Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania announce the
establishment of the Center for Research on Early
Detection and Cure of Ovarian Cancer. |
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The Center will be directed by internationally
renowned gynecologic oncologist and research scientist, George
Coukos, MD, PhD. |
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Penn’s Center for Research on Early Detection and Cure
of Ovarian Cancer features three research programs: Early Detection
and Prevention Program; Advanced Therapeutics Program; and the
Cancer Biology and Pathogenesis Program. |
(PHILADELPHIA) –
The
Abramson Cancer Center of the University
of Pennsylvania,
the
University of Pennsylvania Health System and
School
of Medicine,
and Penn’s
Department
of Obstetrics and Gynecology have announced
today the establishment of the Center for Research on Early
Detection and Cure of Ovarian Cancer.
The
Center, to be directed by internationally renowned gynecologic
oncologist and research scientist,
George
Coukos, MD, PhD, will
focus on developing better detection methods, new treatment therapies,
and improving the quality of life for women with
ovarian
cancer.
“There was a tremendous need for this Center and to advance
the fight against ovarian cancer,” said Coukos, Center Director
and Director of Gynecologic Oncology Research at Penn. “The
need for early detection is crucial to win this fight. If caught
in Stage I, the five-year survival rate of ovarian cancer is over
90 percent. If caught in Stage III, the survival rate drops to
less than 30 percent.”
Added Deborah
A. Driscoll, MD, Chair of Penn’s
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, “This new Center
will provide an infrastructure for ovarian cancer research and
treatment and will serve as a catalyst to unite existing talent
at Penn, recruit new investigators, and promote interdisciplinary
collaboration in the field of ovarian cancer.”
Penn’s Center for Research on Early Detection and Cure of
Ovarian Cancer features three research programs:
- Ovarian
Cancer Early Detection and Prevention Program
Lack of early detection or prevention strategies is
presently a major cause of poor outcomes in ovarian cancer patients.
A screening test for ovarian cancer could save many lives. The
research laboratory activities of the Early Detection and Prevention
Program focus upon improving the outcomes of ovarian cancer by
facilitating the development of new blood tests, new imaging
tools, and other innovative techniques, as well as prevention
methods.
- Ovarian
Cancer Advanced Therapeutics Program
This Program will develop novel therapies and will conduct
clinical trials to test emerging concepts from the laboratory.
The Facilities for the new clinical program will be located
in Penn's
Perelman
Center for Advanced Medicine, to open in 2008.
- Ovarian
Cancer Biology and Pathogenesis Program
All striving to better understand the pathogenesis
and biology of ovarian cancer, several multi-disciplinary laboratories
will focus on various aspects of ovarian cancer genomics, genetics,
immunology and biology. The discoveries within the laboratories
are crucial for the Early Detection and Prevention Program as
well as the Advanced Therapeutics Program.
###
PENN Medicine is a $2.9 billion enterprise
dedicated to the related missions of medical education, biomedical
research, and high-quality patient care. PENN Medicine consists
of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine (founded in
1765 as the nation's first medical school) and the University of
Pennsylvania Health System.
Penn's School of Medicine is ranked #2 in the nation for receipt
of NIH research funds; and ranked #3 in the nation in U.S. News
& World Report's most recent ranking of top research-oriented
medical schools. Supporting 1,400 fulltime faculty and 700 students,
the School of Medicine is recognized worldwide for its superior
education and training of the next generation of physician-scientists
and leaders of academic medicine.
The University of Pennsylvania Health System includes three hospitals,
all of which have received numerous national patient-care honors [Hospital
of the University of Pennsylvania; Pennsylvania Hospital, the nation's
first hospital; and Penn Presbyterian Medical Center]; a faculty practice
plan; a primary-care provider network; two multispecialty satellite
facilities; and home care and hospice.
Penn Medicine is one of the world’s leading academic medical centers, dedicated to the related missions of medical education, biomedical research, excellence in patient care, and community service. The organization consists of the University of Pennsylvania Health System and Penn’s Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine, founded in 1765 as the nation’s first medical school.
The Perelman School of Medicine is consistently among the nation's top recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health, with $550 million awarded in the 2022 fiscal year. Home to a proud history of “firsts” in medicine, Penn Medicine teams have pioneered discoveries and innovations that have shaped modern medicine, including recent breakthroughs such as CAR T cell therapy for cancer and the mRNA technology used in COVID-19 vaccines.
The University of Pennsylvania Health System’s patient care facilities stretch from the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania to the New Jersey shore. These include the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, Chester County Hospital, Lancaster General Health, Penn Medicine Princeton Health, and Pennsylvania Hospital—the nation’s first hospital, founded in 1751. Additional facilities and enterprises include Good Shepherd Penn Partners, Penn Medicine at Home, Lancaster Behavioral Health Hospital, and Princeton House Behavioral Health, among others.
Penn Medicine is an $11.1 billion enterprise powered by more than 49,000 talented faculty and staff.