Louisiana Cancer Research Center Director Embarks on Statewide Listening Tour

August 22, 2022, New Orleans, LA - The newly hired CEO and director of the Louisiana Cancer Research Center, (LCRC), Joe W. Ramos, PhD, will travel this week and next to meet with healthcare and research leaders throughout the state as he maps out his vision for the state's largest cancer research consortium. 

The LCRC, based in New Orleans, is a public-private partnership consisting of member institutions LSU Health New Orleans, Tulane School of Medicine, Ochsner Health and Xavier University of Louisiana.  

Dr. Ramos began as director of the LCRC on August 1 and is committed to expanding the reach and impact of the research center to the four corners of the state. 

"This is the first step in our effort to understand better how cancer affects different parts of Louisiana and to learn about the work being done in those areas to address better prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer and to reduce health disparities. I look forward to introducing myself and to create relationships that will increase collaborations to enhance research and improve access to cancer care and clinical trials," Dr. Ramos said.  “I hope to open the door to further discussions as we work together to reduce the burden of cancer throughout Louisiana.” 

Dr. Ramos will begin his tour on Tuesday, August 23, with meetings at Pennington Biomedical Center, LSU, Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Institute, Mary Perkins Cancer Center, and with members of the Baton Rouge Health District.

On Wednesday, August 24, Dr. Ramos will travel to Lafayette to meet with officials from the University of Louisiana-Lafayette, New Iberia Research Center,  plus healthcare leaders from Lake Charles and Alexandria.

The following week on Tuesday, Aug. 30, Dr. Ramos will be in Shreveport to meet with a list of north Louisiana officials, including those from LSU Health Shreveport, Ochsner,  LSU Health System-North Louisiana, CMIT, Feist Weiller Cancer Center, Christus Highland Medical Center, Overton Brooks VA Medical Center, and  Willis Knighton Cancer Center. 

He heads to Ruston, Grambling and Monroe on Wednesday, August 31 for meetings at Grambling State University, Louisiana Tech and the University of Louisiana Monroe. 

Dr. Ramos comes to the Louisiana Cancer Research Center from the University of Hawaii at Mānoa where he has held various leadership positions including Deputy Director and, most recently, Interim Director. The University of Hawaii Cancer Center has had continuous NCI designation for 25 years and has a deep history of engagement in health disparities and clinical research. Dr. Ramos is a respected expert on cancer signaling and metastasis.

Cover Image: Dr. Joe W. Ramos addressing the research community in New Orleans on July 26, 2022.
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About the LCRC 

Each year, more than 25,000 Louisianans receive a cancer diagnosis. The Louisiana Cancer Research Center(LCRC) serves as a collaborative hub that advances cancer research, improves prevention, and accelerates innovative treatments. LCRC brings together the collective talent of more than 200 researchers from four institutions – Tulane School of Medicine, LSU Health New Orleans, Xavier University of Louisiana, and Ochsner Health – to improve cancer outcomes for Louisianans and all those touched by the disease. Visit https://www.louisianacancercenter.org

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