Walter J. Urba, M.D., Ph.D., directs the Robert W. Franz Cancer Research Center's efforts to find new treatments for cancer patients. Founded in 1993 by Dr. Urba and a team of internationally recognized scientists, the Franz Cancer Research Center today garners more than $2 million annually in federal grants and has a research staff of 60. Research space will more than double with the opening of the new 11-story Providence Cancer Center building on the Providence Portland Medical Center campus in February 2008.
By design, laboratories are physically near patient rooms so that scientists never lose sight of the people their research is intended to serve. This environment encourages translational research, which is so important to the development of new therapies for patients with cancer.
Read a welcome message from Walter J. Urba, M.D., Ph.D., medical director of the Robert W. Franz Cancer Research Center.
Providence Health & Services announces new region-wide medical research initiative
Walter Urba, M.D., Ph.D., Albert Starr, M.D., and Calvin Harrison will lead expanded research efforts to develop new treatments for cancer, cardiac and vascular disease, and neurological disorders.
Andrew Weinberg, Ph.D., receives grant to continue OX40 research
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded Andrew Weinberg, Ph.D., chief of the Laboratory of Basic Immunology, a $1,350,000 grant over five years to continue his work on studying OX40.
Providence offers immunotherapy clinical trial in partnership with Duke University
Todd Crocenzi, M.D., director of Providence's Gastrointestinal Cancer Program, is site investigator in a multicenter, randomized phase II study of vaccine-induced active immunotherapy with PANVAC (viral vector) or autologous, cultured dendritic cells infected with PANVAC.