Texas university researcher hired as new University of Hawaii Cancer Center director

Naoto T. Ueno, a broadly regarded most cancers researcher and educator on the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, has been accepted to turn into the subsequent director of the University of Hawaii Cancer Center.

At the Texas establishment, Ueno is government director of the Inflammatory Breast Cancer Research Program and can be a tenured professor of medication.

His UH appointment was accepted Thursday by the UH Board of Regents and can be efficient Dec. 12.

Ueno has held numerous school and administrative positions at MD Anderson Cancer Center since 1996. He has 15 years of management expertise and almost 30 years of expertise in analysis and training, notably in stem cell transplant, gene remedy, focused remedy and immunotherapy, a UH news launch mentioned.

Ueno’s analysis focus is inflammatory breast most cancers, or IBC, which is taken into account probably the most aggressive and deadly type of breast most cancers. The complete analysis program and clinic dedicated to IBC that he led improvement of has emerged as the world’s largest and most famous for uncommon breast most cancers, the news launch mentioned.

“Dr. Ueno possesses the leadership skills, background and experience to lead the UH Cancer Center for years to come. I am confident he will continue to advance the UH Cancer Center and their mission to reduce the burden of cancer in communities throughout Hawaii,” UH Manoa Provost Michael Bruno mentioned in an announcement.

The UH Cancer Center, an organized analysis unit inside UH Manoa, was established as an unbiased analysis institute in 1971, and is one of solely 71 analysis establishments designated by the National Cancer Institute. It brings about $65 million into the state financial system every year.

Ueno stands to inherit an establishment that has emerged from a interval of controversy.

In 2014, Dr. Michele Carbone abruptly resigned as the UH Cancer Center’s head after an typically tumultuous 5 years. Carbone was broadly credited with serving to to usher within the creation of the UH medical amenities in Kakaako but additionally was the goal of a number of school complaints and criticism. Tom Apple, the UH Manoa chancellor who tried twice to have Carbone fired, was let go himself.

Carbone was succeeded in 2016 by Dr. Randall F. Holcombe, who spent a number of years rebuilding stability for the middle till he left in August 2021 for the same place on the University of Vermont. Joe Ramos after which Dr. Loic Le Marchand have served as interim administrators.

Ueno mentioned in a UH news launch that his mission as director at UH can be to make sure that “every patient with cancer lives to the fullest extent.”

A most cancers survivor himself, Ueno mentioned his purpose is to “prevent cancer in Hawaii and the Pacific through patient-centered cancer strategies, high-quality cancer care, research, prevention and education,” the news launch mentioned.

Because he was raised in each Asia and the U.S., Ueno mentioned, “I have a long history of interest in Hawaii’s diverse culture and demographics. I truly believe the UH Cancer Center has a unique opportunity to build a world-class clinical and translational program that serves the community to reduce the suffering of cancer patients.”

“Dr. Ueno’s leadership experience, coupled with his ability to share common ground with cancer patients, make him uniquely qualified to improve cancer patient care in Hawaii and the Pacific,” Bruno mentioned.

Ueno earned his Doctor of Medicine diploma from Wakayama Medical College in Japan, and a doctorate in most cancers biology from the University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. He obtained postgraduate coaching by internships and fellowships with the U.S. Naval Hospital in Yokosuka, Japan; Montefiore University Hospital (inner medication) in New York; the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (inner medication); and the MD Anderson Cancer Center (medical oncology and stem cell transplantation).