image: W. Gregory Sawyer, Ph.D., Chair, Department of Bioengineering, Moffitt Cancer Center view more
Credit: Moffitt Cancer Center
TAMPA, Fla. — Moffitt Cancer Center has launched the Department of Bioengineering. The new academic research department will be housed within the Division of Basic Science and led by W. Gregory Sawyer, Ph.D. Bioengineering integrates the disciplines of engineering and cancer biology. The Department of Bioengineering will use engineering principles and collaborate with the Drug Discovery, Immunology, Metabolism & Physiology, Molecular Oncology and Tumor Biology departments to develop innovative solutions and accelerate cancer discovery and therapy.
“Bioengineering, in part, differs from traditional cancer modeling because it looks at the cancer in real time in 3D outside of the body. Cells within a tumor are communicating with each other and with the surrounding healthy tissue. To survive, cancer cells rewire various processes. As bioengineers, we want to accelerate cancer discovery by studying cancer outside the body so that we can examine it and find ways to stop it,” Sawyer said.
Sawyer earned his doctorate from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where he later became a faculty member. Prior to joining Moffitt, he was a professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Florida. He also served as a member of the original Mars Rover design team at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Sawyer switched his research focus from space to cancer in 2013 after receiving his own cancer diagnosis. He now uses his engineering skills to develop ways to 3D print, grow and study cancer tumors in hopes of improving diagnosis and disease management.
“Dr. Sawyer is the perfect person to lead this new department at Moffitt. Bioengineering will be a new driver of innovation for our cancer center, and his expertise will help transform our research in molecular and cellular cancer biology and immunology to bring new therapeutic strategies to our patients more quickly. In particular, Dr. Sawyer will have the opportunity to expand the bioengineering expertise more broadly to recruit faculty to the department who specialize in the design of drug delivery systems, imaging and the manufacturing of novel materials,” said Elsa R. Flores, Ph.D., associate center director of Basic Science at Moffitt.
The Department of Bioengineering will be one of the key basic science departments at Moffitt’s Center for Innovation, a new 300,000-square-foot research facility being built at Speros FL and designed to stimulate entrepreneurship. The cancer center broke ground on the Pasco County project in January.
About Moffitt Cancer Center
Moffitt is dedicated to one lifesaving mission: to contribute to the prevention and cure of cancer. The Tampa-based facility is one of only 54 National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers, a distinction that recognizes Moffitt’s scientific excellence, multidisciplinary research, and robust training and education. Moffitt’s expert nursing staff is recognized by the American Nurses Credentialing Center with Magnet® status, its highest distinction. With more than 8,500 team members, Moffitt has an economic impact in the state of $2.4 billion. For more information, call 1-888-MOFFITT (1-888-663-3488), visit MOFFITT.org, and follow the momentum on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
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