Collaboration Will Lead to Region’s First Proton Therapy Facility to Treat Cancer Patients
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and the OSUCCC – James are collaborating with Nationwide Children’s Hospital to bring the first proton therapy treatment facility to central Ohio. It will occupy some 55,000 square feet in a 340,000-square-foot outpatient facility being planned for Ohio State’s west campus. The $100 million proton therapy facility, to be completed in 2021, will offer state-of-the-art radiation oncology treatment for adult and pediatric cancer patients in one location that is closer to their homes. Proton therapy is an advanced form of radiation treatment that uses protons (positively charged particles) instead of X-rays to kill cancer cells. It can be used alone or in combination with other therapies to treat several localized cancers. Read more
NIH Awards $25 Million to Center for Clinical and Translational Science
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) awarded a $25 million Clinical and Translational Science Award to Rebecca Jackson, MD, a member of the Cancer Control Program at the OSUCCC – James and director of Ohio State’s Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS). The grant will further the CCTS mission of translating discoveries into therapies to improve human health. This is the third five-year cycle of funding for the CCTS since 2008 from the NIH’s National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences. The CCTS — a collaboration of the College of Medicine, other colleges at Ohio State and Nationwide Children’s Hospital — provides financial, organizational and educational support to biomedical researchers, as well as opportunities for community members to participate in research. Read more
Grant Will Support Study of Bodily Responses to E-Cigs
OSUCCC – James researchers led by Purnima Kumar, DDS, PhD, have landed a five-year, $3.12 million grant from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research to conduct the first comprehensive examination of the body’s biological responses to electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), popularly known as e-cigs. The researchers will use the oral cavity as a model system for their study, since it is the first area of the body to be affected by ENDS and the most accessible for examination. Kumar, a professor in the College of Dentistry, Division of Periodontology, says the study is important because, even though ENDS were introduced about a decade ago, little is known about their impact on health. Moreover, statistics show that ENDS are being used more frequently by adolescents and young adults, partly because these products are thought to be safer than cigarettes and other nicotine-replacement therapies. Read more
Researchers Gain NCI Grant for Thyroid Cancer Study
The National Cancer Institute awarded Matthew Ringel, MD, professor and director of the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism at Ohio State, $1.89 million to study the role of p21-activated kinases in thyroid cancer development and progression. This work by Ringel and colleagues will define the function of these proteins in thyroid cancer and determine if they might be used as therapeutic targets. Ringel also co-leads the Molecular Biology and Cancer Genetics Program at the OSUCCC – James.
Grant to Help Establish Postdoctoral Training Program for Cancer Control
The OSUCCC – James will address a high priority of both the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and Ohio State by using a new five-year, $1.03 million NCI grant to establish a postdoctoral training program for cancer prevention and control. The T-32 grant, awarded to principal investigator (PI) and project leader Peter Shields, MD, deputy director of the OSUCCC, and co-PI Christopher Weghorst, PhD, professor and associate dean for research in the College of Public Health, will support transdisciplinary research training that will prepare postdoctoral fellows to be independent scientists in academia, government or industry whose studies will be aimed at reducing cancer risk and improving the lives of cancer patients. Read more
Venere Lands ACS Research Scholar Grant
The American Cancer Society (ACS) awarded a four-year, $800,000 Research Scholar Grant to help Monica Venere, PhD, pursue a new therapeutic strategy for patients with glioblastoma, the most common and lethal form of brain cancer. Venere, assistant professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at Ohio State and member of the Molecular Biology and Cancer Genetics Program at the OSUCCC – James, received the grant for a project titled “Targeting Kinesins to Radiosensitize Glioblastoma.” Preliminary data in her project proposal was generated through support from an Idea Grant funded by Pelotonia, an annual grassroots cycling event that raises money for cancer research at the OSUCCC – James. Read more
Miles and Burd Receive 2018 Damon Runyon-Rachleff Innovation Awards
OSUCCC – James researchers Wayne Miles, PhD, and Christin Burd, PhD, were among 11 early-career scientists to be named 2018 recipients of the Damon Runyon-Rachleff Innovation Award, which funds cancer research by creative thinkers with “high-risk, high-reward” ideas who lack sufficient preliminary data to obtain traditional funding. Miles, assistant professor in the College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Molecular Genetics, received an initial grant for projects with the potential to impact the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer. His project will examine how inactivation of the retinoblastoma1 (RB1) tumor-suppressor gene, a hallmark of many cancers, changes cells. Burd, assistant professor in the College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Molecular Genetics, and in the College of Medicine, Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, first received a $300,000 Damon Runyon-Rachleff Innovation Award in 2016 and then was granted additional funding of $300,000 in 2018 for demonstrating progress on her research during the first two years. Her second-phase grant funding will help her continue her mutation-specific studies of the RAS oncogene — which is mutated in 20 percent of all human cancers — in a variety of tumor types, starting with melanoma, thyroid cancer and acute myeloid leukemia.
OSUCCC Names Executive Director for Research Administration
David Gosky, MA, MBA, a research and health care executive with experience in managing the research, clinical and education missions of cancer centers at academic medical institutions, was named executive director for research administration at the OSUCCC. Gosky, who came to Ohio State from the University of Kentucky, oversees all administrative, operational and fiscal responsibilities for the research arms of Ohio State’s cancer program. He has administrative oversight of all senior cancer program staff members who manage administrative, clinical research and research operations of the OSUCCC. Gosky reports to OSUCCC director Raphael Pollock, MD, PhD. He works closely with OSUCCC deputy director Peter Shields, MD, interim James CEO William Farrar, MD, and James chief medical officer David Cohn, MD, to further program goals. He also works with Kris Kipp, MSN, RN, executive director of patient services and chief nursing officer at The James, on overarching OSUCCC – James issues.
Byrd Becomes Senior Adviser for Cancer Experimental Therapeutics
John C. Byrd, MD, distinguished university professor in the Division of Hematology at Ohio State, accepted a new executive position as senior adviser for cancer experimental therapeutics at the OSUCCC – James. In this role, Byrd is a consultant to the director of the OSUCCC and to the CEO of The James, particularly on matters of drug development and experimental therapeutics. An internationally known expert in hematologic malignancies, Byrd also remains as national chief medical officer for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society/Beat AML Master Trial, a precision medicine-focused effort against acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in which Ohio State is a lead institution. He also is co-leader of the Leukemia Research Program at the OSUCCC – James.
Peters Elected as AAAS Fellow
Ellen Peters, PhD, a distinguished university professor in the Department of Psychology at Ohio State and member of the Cancer Control Program at the OSUCCC – James, was among five Ohio State researchers elected in 2018 as Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). AAAS Fellows are elected by their academic peers; it is considered one the most prestigious honors given to U.S. scientists. Peters, who also directs the Decision Sciences Collaborative in the College of Arts and Sciences at Ohio State, was elected for contributions to basic research on affect, numeracy and risky decision making, and for translational research on communicating health risks and improving medical decisions and policies.
Woyach Presents Groundbreaking CLL Drug Research at ASH Annual Meeting
Ongoing research in hematologic malignancies by OSUCCC – James investigators was in the spotlight at the 60th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting & Exposition in San Diego. Jennifer Woyach, MD, associate professor in the Division of Hematology at Ohio State and a member of the Leukemia Research Program at the OSUCCC – James, was a speaker during the meeting’s press program and at the Plenary Scientific Session. She presented “Ibrutinib Alone or in Combination With Rituximab Produces Superior Progression-Free Survival (PFS) Compared With Bendamustine Plus Rituximab in Untreated Older Patients With Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL).” Study results were reported simultaneously in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Gupta Elected as Fellow in AAPM
Nilendu Gupta, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at Ohio State, was elected as a Fellow of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM). The category of Fellow honors AAPM members who have distinguished themselves by their contributions in research, education or leadership in medical physics. For the past decade Gupta has been the chief medical physicist in the Department of Radiation Oncology, where he has spearheaded large technical advances and expansion projects in the cancer program and the department.
NASA Selects Jacob Study to Support Astronaut Health on Space Missions
A study by Naduparambil Jacob, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at Ohio State and a member of the Translational Therapeutics Program at the OSUCCC – James, was one of 10 proposals selected by NASA to support astronaut health and performance on longer missions to the moon and Mars. Jacob aims to study predictive biomarkers for space radiation-induced cancer and cardiovascular injury risk assessment.
Kipp and Account Team Earn Regional ACS Volunteer Staff Partnership Award
Kris Kipp, MSN, RN, executive director of patient services and chief nursing officer at The James, and The Ohio State University Account Team received the first American Cancer Society Volunteer Staff Partnership Award – North Central Region. The award recognizes a volunteer and staff team that models a successful partnership to positively impact the American Cancer Society (ACS) mission. For the past five years, Kipp has worked closely with The Ohio State University Account Team to create a collaborative environment to share ideas.
Backes Co-Chairs NRG Oncology Developmental Therapeutics Committee
Floor Backes, MD, associate professor in the Division of Gynecologic Oncology at Ohio State and member of the Cancer Control Program at the OSUCCC – James, assumed the national role of co-chair for the NRG Oncology Developmental Therapeutics Committee. NRG Oncology is a nonprofit research organization formed to conduct national and international oncologic clinical research and to disseminate study results for informing clinical decision making and health care policy. Backes also was named local lead investigator for the Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG) Foundation Inc., an independent, international, nonprofit organization that promotes excellence in the quality and integrity of clinical and basic scientific research of gynecologic malignancies.
Salani Chairs IGCS Education Committee
Ritu Salani, MD, MBA, associate professor in the Division of Gynecologic Oncology at Ohio State and member of the Cancer Control Program at the OSUCCC – James, became chair of the International Gynecologic Society’s (IGCS) Education Committee. The Education Committee organizes, implements and evaluates educational content to meet the diverse membership needs of IGCS members in high-, middle- and low-resource settings. Salani also became chair of the Compliance Committee for the Society of Gynecologic Oncology (SGO), a nonprofit medical specialty society for health care professionals trained in the comprehensive management of gynecologic cancers.
Copeland Takes Reins as President of GOG Foundation Inc.
Larry Copeland, MD, professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Ohio State and member of the Translational Therapeutics Program at the OSUCCC – James, became president of the Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG) Foundation Inc. after previously serving as vice president. The GOG Foundation is an independent, international, nonprofit organization that promotes the quality and integrity of clinical and basic scientific research in gynecologic malignancies. The foundation maintains the highest standards in clinical trials development, execution, analysis and distribution of results.
Byrd Addresses LLS Influencer Roundtable on Innovations in Cancer Research
John C. Byrd, MD, senior adviser for cancer experimental therapeutics at the OSUCCC – James and co-principal investigator for the Beat AML master clinical trial spearheaded by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), was among the speakers at an LLS Influencer Roundtable titled “Innovations in Cancer Research – Blood Cancers and Beyond.” Launched in 2016, Beat AML is a collaboration among top leukemia researchers, biopharmaceutical companies and a genomics information company aimed at advancing treatment for acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Beat AML also was the subject of a media briefing at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) 2018 annual meeting. Five Beat AML research abstracts co-authored by scientists at the OSUCCC – James and elsewhere were presented during the meeting, and Matthew Cannon, a graduate student in Ohio State’s Experimental Hematology Laboratory, received a 2018 Minority Graduate Student Abstract Achievement Award for “High-Throughput miRNA Analysis Suggests Pro-Inflammatory Profile in Sickle Cell Disease.”
Cohn Begins Four-Year Commitment to SGO Top Leadership Roles
David Cohn, MD, director of the Division of Gynecologic Oncology at Ohio State and chief medical officer at the OSUCCC – James, was elected as president of the Society of Gynecologic Oncology (SGO) for the 2020-2021 term year. This is a four-year commitment that started with Cohn serving as president-elect II for one year — a term that began after the SGO Annual Meeting held in March 2018. After serving as president-elect II, Cohn will serve for successive years as president-elect I, president and past president. He also is a cancer researcher in the Translational Therapeutics Program at the OSUCCC – James.
Shah Elected to Three-Year Term as ITOG Chair
The board of directors for the International Thyroid Oncology Group (ITOG) elected Manisha Shah, MD, professor in the Division of Medical Oncology at Ohio State, to a three-year term as chair of ITOG. Her term began following the ITOG Annual Meeting held in April 2018. Shah, a member of the Translational Therapeutics Program at the OSUCCC – James, also has served as ITOG secretary, co-chair of the Protocol Committee and member of the Executive Committee. Her research at Ohio State focuses on the discovery of targeted therapies for patients with thyroid cancers, neuroendocrine cancers and adrenal cancers.
Karuppaiyah Receives Research Prize for Early-Career Investigators
The Ovarian Cancer Research Fund Alliance (OCRFA) presented the Liz Tilberis Research Prize for Outstanding Early-Career Investigators to Selvendiran Karuppaiyah, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Ohio State and member of the Translational Therapeutics Program at the OSUCCC – James. OCRFA, the largest global organization dedicated to fighting ovarian cancer, bestows this distinction annually on one person who has significantly impacted ovarian cancer research.
Paskett Lands Laurels Award for Increasing Health Equity
Electra Paskett, PhD, MSPH, associate director for population sciences and leader of the Cancer Control Program at the OSUCCC – James, accepted the Prevent Cancer Foundation® Laurels Award for Increasing Health Equity in recognition of her outstanding contributions toward reducing cancer health disparities. Cosponsored by the National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, this award honors individuals who have passion for cancer prevention and early detection, and who have brought about positive change in the public, professional or political arena.
Gray Wins National Service Award for Colorectal Cancer Outreach and Prevention
The American College of Gastroenterology presented Darrell Gray II, MD, MPH, assistant professor in the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition at Ohio State, a Service Award for Colorectal Cancer Outreach, Prevention and Year-Round Excellence for Best Community Service Delivery and Comprehensive Community Education Initiative. Gray is in the Cancer Control Program at the OSUCCC – James, where he also is deputy director of the Center for Cancer Health Equity.
In addition, he leads Ohio State’s Provider and Community Engagement (PACE) Program for Health Equity in Colorectal Cancer Prevention, which promotes colorectal cancer screening and has provided low- to no-cost colonoscopies to uninsured and underinsured Ohioans. Ohio State was among seven recipients of an “80 percent by 2018 National Achievement Award” from the National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable, an organization founded by the American Cancer Society and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The award recognizes individuals and organizations that advance initiatives to reach the national goal of regularly screening 80 percent of adults age 50 or over for colorectal cancer.
Hampel Attains Award and Visiting Professorship in Clinical Cancer Genetics
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City selected Heather Hampel, MS, LGC, associate director for biospecimen research and member of the Molecular Biology and Cancer Genetics Program at the OSUCCC – James, to receive the 2018 Niehaus, Southworth, Weissenbach Award and Visiting Professorship in Clinical Cancer Genetics. The award recognizes leaders in translating germline genetics to preventive care of cancer patients and families. Hampel, professor and associate director of the Division of Human Genetics at Ohio State, visited Memorial Sloan Kettering to accept her award and deliver two lectures.
Andersen Writes Expert Commentary and Podcast for ASCO
Barbara Andersen, PhD, a distinguished university professor in the Department of Psychology at Ohio State and member of the Cancer Control Program at the OSUCCC – James, co-wrote an expert commentary and accompanying podcast for the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) on recognizing, assessing, referring and monitoring cancer patients with symptoms of moderate to severe anxiety or depression. Andersen and co-author Marlena Ryba, PhD, assistant professor of psychology at Coastal Carolina University, state in their commentary — which appeared in ASCO Daily News — that cancer has modifiable psychological and behavioral patient elements capable of reducing risk, morbidity and mortality.
Johanson Wins MODNA Expert Nursing Care Award
The Mid-Ohio District Nurses Association (MODNA) selected Marna Johanson, BSN, RN, a nurse on 21 James, as recipient of the association’s 2018 Expert Nursing Care Award. This award is presented annually to a member nurse who demonstrates extraordinary nursing care in ordinary settings, brings heart into her/his practice and exemplifies the five values of an expert of nursing: compassion, competence, conscience, confidence and commitment.
Talawoly Participates on National Council Licensure Examination Panel
Massa Talawoly, MSN, RN-BC, CNL, nurse educator for The James, was approved by the Ohio Board of Nursing and selected by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) Licensure to participate on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX®) item development panel of subject matter experts held in 2018 in Chicago. Talawoly was selected for her clinical specialty and nursing expertise. Passing the NCLEX® exam is a requirement for attaining a nursing license/registration in the United States and in participating Canadian provinces and territories.
Kennerly-Shah Chosen for Inaugural Class of ‘40 Under 40 in Cancer’
Julie Kennerly-Shah, PharmD, MS, MHA, assistant director of pharmacy at the OSUCCC – James, was selected as part of the inaugural class of “40 Under 40 in Cancer,” an awards initiative founded by McGivney Global Advisors and The Lynx Group “to identify and recognize contributions being made across the field of cancer by rising stars and emerging leaders” under age 40. Finalists and awardees were selected by a panel of reviewers from diverse roles in oncology. The awardees were honored at a reception at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Chicago.
Eisfeld and Long Receive ASH Scholar Awards
Ann-Kathrin Eisfeld, MD, a hematology/oncology fellow in the Physician Scientist Training Program at Ohio State, and Meixiao Long, MD, PhD, a clinical instructor in the Division of Hematology at Ohio State, both received a 2019 American Society of Hematology (ASH) Scholar Award, one of the most prestigious awards given by ASH. Their $150,000 awards, presented at the ASH annual meeting in December 2018, were in the Basic/Translational Junior Faculty category. Eisfeld’s award will help her continue her research as a “young Investigator,” receiving senior support from Elaine Mardis, PhD, Clara D. Bloomfield, MD, and Albert de la Chapelle, MD, PhD. Under the direction of John C. Byrd, MD, Long and colleagues are studying the immune modulatory effects of small molecule kinase inhibitors and their potential for immunotherapy. Long’s ASH Award will help him further his research.
Grecula Becomes President-Elect of ISIORT
John Grecula, MD, professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at Ohio State and member of the Translational Therapeutics Program at the OSUCCC – James, was elected as president-elect of the International Society of Intraoperative Radiation Therapy (ISIORT). This organization provides a platform for scientists and clinicians from around the world to present new research, developments and clinical data. Grecula also is an elected board member of ISIORT.
Song Acquires Grant From Mark Foundation® for Cancer Research
Jonathan Song, PhD, assistant professor in the College of Engineering at Ohio State and member of the Molecular Biology and Cancer Genetics Program at the OSUCCC – James, received a $187,772 grant from The Mark Foundation® for Cancer Research to support his development of a preclinical disease model to precisely interrogate how brain metastases obtain vasculature through the co-option of pre-existing blood vessels. Song leads an interdisciplinary lab at Ohio State that applies microtechnology, principles from tissue engineering and quantitative engineering analysis for studying physical dynamics of tumor and vascular biology. The Mark Foundation for Cancer Research is dedicated to accelerating cures for cancer by integrating discoveries in biology with innovative technology.
Fishel Elected as Fellow in American Academy of Microbiology
Richard Fishel, PhD, professor in the Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics at Ohio State, and a member of the Molecular Biology and Cancer Genetics Program at the OSUCCC – James, was elected as a fellow in the American Academy of Microbiology, an honorific leadership group within the American Society for Microbiology. Fellows, who hail from around the world, are elected annually through a highly selective peer-review process based on their records of scientific achievement and original contributions that have advanced microbiology.
Arthur Produces Distinguished Abstract for MNRS Annual Conference
An abstract by Elizabeth Arthur, PhD, APRN-CNP, AOCNP, was one of six selected as Distinguished Abstracts for the Midwest Nursing Research Society (MNRS) 2018 Annual Conference. Arthur, an advanced oncology certified nurse practitioner at The James, submitted an abstract titled “Cognitive Interviews With Women Cancer Survivors to Assess Content Validity of the Self-Efficacy to Communicate About Sex and Intimacy (SECSI) Scale.” The abstracts were selected via a rigorous peer-review process involving two blinded review panels.
ATA Research Grants Extended to Miles and Eisfeld
The American Thyroid Association (ATA) awarded 2018 Research Grants to Wayne Miles, PhD, assistant professor in the College of Arts and Sciences, Division of Molecular Genetics, and Ann-Kathrin Eisfeld, MD, a hematology/oncology fellow in the Physician Scientist Training Program, to help them pursue innovative studies and generate preliminary data needed to apply for larger grants from such organizations as the NIH. Eisfeld received an ATA grant for junior faculty for a project titled “Novel NRAS Isoform Mediates BRAF-Inhibitor Resistance in Papillary Thyroid Cancer – Thinking Outside the Box to Overcome ‘Inevitable’ Treatment Failure.” Miles, a member of the Molecular Biology and Cancer Genetics Program at the OSUCCC – James, received a grant consisting of funds donated to the ATA from the Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association Inc. (ThyCa) and Bite Me Cancer for a project titled “Proteomic-Led Discovery of Essential Genes in Medullary Thyroid Cancer.”
Memorial Sloan Kettering CEO Accepts Block Lectureship Award
The OSUCCC – James presented the 23rd Herbert and Maxine Block Memorial Lectureship Award for Distinguished Achievement in Cancer to Craig B. Thompson, MD, president and CEO of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. The $50,000 award goes to internationally prominent scientists who then visit Ohio State to accept the honor and lecture about their research. Thompson, who has extensive research experience in cancer, immunology and translational medicine, presented “The Metabolic Origins of Cancer” for the Block Lecture. One of the largest prizes presented in the field of cancer, the award is supported by proceeds from the annual Herbert J. Block Memorial Tournament, a golf outing sponsored by the Block family of Columbus.
Mercy Health – St. Rita’s Medical Center Joins James Cancer Network
Mercy Health – St. Rita’s Medical Center has joined The James Cancer Network as an affiliated hospital. By joining the network, Mercy Health – St. Rita’s Cancer Center will continue to provide comprehensive, state-of-the-art and compassionate cancer care to the community, but the affiliation provides physicians and patients at that institution with access to the expertise and subspecialization at the OSUCCC – James while allowing patients to stay close to their homes, loved ones and support systems. The affiliation also provides access to OSUCCC – James tele-genetics, tele-survivorship care plans and clinical trials. https://cancer.osu.edu/news-and-media/news/mercy-health-st-ritas-medical-center-joins-the-james-cancer-network
Wexner Medical Center and Mercy Health Launch Alliance to Address Critical Health Needs
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and Mercy Health — the largest community health system in Ohio and a Catholic health ministry serving Ohio and Kentucky — have launched Healthy State Alliance, an initiative to tackle Ohio’s most critical health needs and improve the health of communities. Increasing access to cancer care is one of the initial three areas of focus, out of 10 total that the alliance has identified. Expanding access to transplant care and addressing the opioid epidemic round out the top three. The resources of both organizations will fuel the Alliance’s ambition, providing increased access to more than 50,000 team members and more than 600 points of care throughout the state. Patients also will benefit from enhanced access to one of the nation’s premier transplant centers, one of only 49 National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers, and the assets of one of America’s leading research universities. Read more
James Team Breaks New Ground With Digital Pathology Cancer Diagnosis
The OSUCCC – James made further progress toward implementing digital pathology technologies into research and patient care at Ohio State. In March 2018, Anil Parwani, MD, PhD, MBA, completed the first primary cancer diagnosis of a patient using the digital pathology platform. The sample had been sent for suspected prostate cancer based on an elevated serum PSA (prostate-specific antigen). Also known as “whole-slide imaging,” digital pathology is the process of scanning conventional glass slides and then digitally knitting consecutive images into a single whole image that replicates the information on the glass slide. This virtual image is paired with associated clinical information to give pathologists an integrated picture of each patient’s unique cancer. Pathologists can then perform additional diagnostics, including image analysis tests that are not possible on traditional glass slides. In 2018, the digital pathology program scanned more than 570,000 tumor sections from some 50,000 past cancer cases, contributing to an invaluable digital archive for researchers. Read more
The James: Nationally Ranked in Cancer for 20 Years
U.S. News & World Report listed the James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute among America’s Best Hospitals for cancer care for the 20th consecutive year, ranking it 20th the nation for 2018-19. The James first appeared on the list in 1999, less than a decade after the hospital opened in 1990, and it has remained there ever since. The U.S. News rankings are based on such criteria as patient volume, safety and mortality, nursing excellence, staffing levels, reputation and technology. For reference the magazine relies on data collected each year from thousands of hospitals and physicians.
OSUCCC – James Again Achieves Magnet® Recognition
Hours of work and dedication over many months paid off for OSUCCC – James faculty and staff on March 15, 2018, when they learned that the hospital had for the second time achieved Magnet® recognition from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). The ANCC announced the award after examining an extensive redesignation document submitted by the OSUCCC – James in 2017 and following a January 2018 site visit. The Magnet Recognition Program® recognizes health care organizations for quality patient care, nursing excellence and innovations in professional nursing practice. The OSUCCC – James initially achieved Magnet® status in 2013. The renewed Magnet® status will extend for four years.
James Sickle Cell Program Receives Nation’s First Joint Commission Disease-Specific Certification
The Sickle Cell Program at The James received the nation’s first disease-specific certification for sickle cell from The Joint Commission following a two-day on-site survey that yielded no findings. The certification is typically valid for up to two years. The disease-specific care certification program evaluates clinical programs across the continuum for compliance with Joint Commission requirements. Organizations seeking certification are examined during an onsite survey by reviewers who assess how clinical outcomes and other performance measures are used to identify opportunities for improving care, whether organization leaders commit to improving quality of care, how patients and caregivers are educated and prepared for discharge, and whether evidence-based guidelines for clinical care are incorporated into daily practice.
OSUCCC – James BMT Earns Highest-Level Beacon Award for Excellence
The 36-bed Blood and Marrow Transplant (BMT) Unit at the OSUCCC – James has again received national recognition for exceptional patient care and professional nursing practice with a three-year Gold-level Beacon Award for Excellence from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN). Gold is the highest-level Beacon Award. This was the second Beacon Award for Excellence for the BMT unit. The team first received the honor in 2015 with a bronze-level award. Units that earn the Beacon Award meet nationally recognized benchmarks for excellence in patient care consistent with Magnet® Recognition, the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award and the National Quality Healthcare Award — all considered gold standards for quality patient care and professional nursing practice.
James Earns Third Consecutive Press Ganey Award
The James earned a Press Ganey Guardian of Excellence Award® for achieving and sustaining excellence in patient experience for the third consecutive year. A nationally recognized symbol of achievement in health care, the award recognizes top-performing health care organizations that have achieved the 95th percentile or above for performance in patient experience. Presented annually, it also honors clients who consistently sustained performance in the top five percent of all Press Ganey clients for each reporting period over one year as measured by the Centers for Medicare/Medicaid’s Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS).
James Nurse Residency Program Gains Accreditation With Distinction
The James Cancer Hospital/Vizient Nurse Residency Program received a three-year Accreditation with Distinction from the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s (ANCC) Practice Transition Accreditation Program (PTAP)™. The highest recognition awarded by the ANCC’s Accreditation Program, the ANCC PTAP sets the global standard for residency or fellowship programs that transition registered nurses (RNs) and advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) into new settings that meet evidence-based standards for quality and excellence. The James’ nurse residency program is one of only four in Ohio — and one of only two in central Ohio — with PTAP accreditation. The accreditation extends through January 2022.
ONS Presents Employer Recognition Award to OSUCCC – James
The Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) selected the James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute to receive the 2018 ONS Employer Recognition Award (Large Size Category), which acknowledges employers who honor and show exemplary support for RNs in oncology. The hospital was recognized on the ONS website and at the 43rd Annual Congress in Washington, D.C.