Over the course of four years, the University of Iowa has been establishing an innovative oral cavity cancer program drawing from faculty researchers and clinicians across campus. The holistic approach of the team encompasses the entire spectrum of oral cavity cancer research and is guided by their goal of improving patient outcomes. As a result, Iowa is poised to be a global leader in oral cavity cancer research.

Emily Lanzel received a grant in collaboration with the University of Chicago to use digital pathology slides to improve machine learning algorithms for use as a tool to evaluate the risk of cancer.

On Thursday, the University of Iowa announced that the first $7.5 million of the investment revenue generated from the public-private partnership (P3) for its utility system would include a $600K+ award for the College of Dentistry. With this support, an interdisciplinary team with over 40-people, including Iowa faculty from the Colleges of Dentistry, Medicine, Pharmacy, and Engineering, will develop the preliminary data and program structure to apply for and be competitive for an $11 million grant from the NCI/NIDCR to establish a P50 Specialized Program of Research Excellence in oral cancer. This specialized research program in oral cancer will be the first of its kind in the nation.