April 25, 2016

With a vision to build a growing institutional research investment on the broad and extensive experience of a multidisciplinary team of well-established investigators in nanoscience and nanomaterials, Kathleen H. Goeppinger, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer has endorsed the establishment of the Nanomedicine Center of Excellence in Translational Cancer Research (Nanomedicine COE-TCR) by the College of Pharmacy-Glendale (CPG).

The Center will advance the knowledge and application of the next generation of personalized and targeted cancer medicines in alignment with the University's global One Health Initiative, with the resultant research benefitting both human and animal patients.

Volkmar Weissig, D.Sc., Ph.D., Professor and Chair of Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Dr. Tamer Elbayoumi, M.Sc., Ph.D., Associate Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences, will both serve as co-directors of this research effort. The Center has already established multiple productive collaborations with Midwestern University faculty representing the College of Health Sciences, the Division of Basic Science, the College of Dental Medicine-Arizona, and the College of Veterinary Medicine, all based on the University's Glendale Campus.

"While nanomedicine in general refers to the medical application of nanomaterials and biological devices, our Nanomedicine COE-TCR focuses on the development and evaluation of novel nanomaterials for biomedical research and applications, as well as creating advanced therapies and drug delivery systems which can specifically treat only diseased tissues and/or organs, even at the cellular and subcellular level," says Dr. Elbayoumi.

"The College of Pharmacy-Glendale takes great pride in this strategic development that advances on our mission of enhancing scholarly activity and research and helps us to prepare future healthcare team professionals," says Mitchell Emerson, Ph.D., Dean of the College of Pharmacy-Glendale. "Students from our pharmacy, biomedical science, osteopathic medicine, dental medicine, and veterinary medicine programs will be trained to participate in several of the Center's nanotechnology-based initiatives."

Dr. Weissig adds, "The multi-faceted research collaborations fostered within the Nanomedicine COE-TCR will allow Midwestern University to be more competitive for research and training programs, and assist in the establishment of partnerships with regional pharmaceutical industry players."  

Pictured: Members of the new Midwestern University Nanomedicine Center of Excellence in Translational Cancer Research, left to right: Tamer Elbayoumi, M.Sc., Ph.D., Associate Professor, CPG and Co-Director, Nano COE-TCR; Diana Guzman-Villanueva, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Research Associate, CPG; Mingyi Yao, B.Sc. M.Sc., Ph.D., Assistant Professor, CPG; John Mitchell, B.Sc., Ph.D., Professor, College of Dental Medicine-Arizona; Nagaraj Vinay Janthakahalli, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Biochemistry; Mitchell Emerson, Ph.D., Dean, CPG; Volkmar Weissig, Ph.D., Chair, Pharmaceutical Sciences, CPG and Co-Director, Nano COE-TCR.