Huntsman Cancer Institute

Huntsman Cancer Institute
Geography
Location	Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
Coordinates	40.7725°N 111.8345°W / 40.7725; -111.8345
Organization
Care system	Public
Hospital type	Teaching
Affiliated university	University of Utah
Links
Website	http://www.huntsmancancer.org/ Official
Lists	Hospitals in Utah

Huntsman Cancer Institute is an NCI-designated cancer research facility and hospital located on the campus of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah. It is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Center in the Intermountain West. This title ensures patients benefit from the most current screening, diagnostic, and treatment methods. It means that Huntsman Cancer Institute follows national guidelines for the detection and treatment of cancer, and its physicians and researchers participate in the process of developing these guidelines.

Overview

Huntsman Cancer Institute was founded with a pledge of $100 million of personal wealth from Jon Huntsman, Sr., a philanthropist and businessman. To date, Mr. Huntsman has donated more than $250 million dollars of his own money since Huntsman Cancer Institute was established.^{[citation needed]} Mary Beckerle, PhD, is HCI’s executive director.

"We will place into society assistance for those who suffer, hope for those who may need inspiration, and education for those who may feel the challenge but do not have the means." - Jon M. Huntsman, chairman of Huntsman Cancer Foundation

Mission statement

Huntsman Cancer Institute's mission is to understand cancer from its beginnings, to use that knowledge in the creation and improvement of cancer treatments, to relieve the suffering of cancer patients, and to provide education about cancer risk, prevention, and care. Former Huntsman Cancer Foundation President, Jon Huntsman, Jr., explains, "It is the goal of Huntsman Cancer Institute to become a symbol of hope and optimism. We want those carrying the heavy burden of cancer to feel strengthened and hopeful."

To support its mission, the Huntsman Cancer Institute campus currently consists of a research building dedicated in 1999 and a 50-bed hospital dedicated in 2004.^{[citation needed]}

Clinical

Huntsman Cancer Hospital stands adjacent to the research building and is connected by glass walkways. A team of experts customizes each patient’s treatment plan to design the most effective combination of surgery, radiation, and/or chemotherapy. These plans are based on the most up-to-date understanding of treating cancer generally and the individual patient specifically. This approach ensures the best possible outcome for both rare and more common cancers.

Research

The University of Utah has long been a leader in the study of human genetics.^{[citation needed]} Scientists at Huntsman Cancer Institute aim to understand cancer at a molecular and genetic level and strive to find new and more effective ways to treat this disease. A treatment approach based on genetic knowledge allows for more targeted, individualized cancer therapies.

Research Programs

The Cancer Center Support Grant, which is awarded by the National Cancer Institute, subsidizes cancer research performed by more than 130 members of our Cancer Center.^{[citation needed]} The purpose of this grant is to promote scientific excellence through coordinated, broad-based transdisciplinary programs and to benefit state-of-the-art shared research resources. Established Cancer Center research programs include the following:

• Cancer Control and Population Sciences
• Cell Response and Regulation
• Gastrointestinal Cancers
• Imaging, Diagnostics, and Therapeutics
• Nuclear Control of Cell Growth and Differentiation

Shared Resources

Shared resources support research programs at Huntsman Cancer Institute. A shared resource is a service or technology used by more than one department or program for maximum efficiency. Huntsman Cancer Institute researchers utilize the following shared resources:

• Biomolecular Nuclear Magnetic Resonance
• Biostatistics
• Clinical Trials Office
• DNA/Peptide
• Drug Screening Resource
• Flow Cytometry
• Fluorescence Microscopy
• Genetic Counseling
• Glass Wash Facility
• Microarray and Genomic Analysis
• Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics
• Research Informatics
• Survey Methods and Data Collection
• Tissue Resource and Applications Core
• Utah Population Database

External links

• Huntsman Cancer Institute
• Huntsman Online Patient Education (HOPE) Guide