VCOM 2019 Annual Report

VCOM and Spartanburg Regional / Gibbs Cancer Research Center VCOM maintains a successful partnership with the Gibbs Cancer Research Center within Spartanburg Regional Health System. The program focuses on stem cell research, precision medicine and cancer detection techniques. In 2019, VCOM will lead the biomedical research through further collaboration and will continue to seek support through the National Institutes of Health and other Cancer Research funders. The latest projects are poised to have a profound effect on the way cancer is diagnosed and treated, and to have an impact globally for low to middle-income countries. VCOM also maintains research collaborations on the Carolinas Campus where faculty engage in collaborative work with faculty from Wofford College and Converse College. Current work in the laboratories includes immunology and microbiology research in immunotherapeutics for cancer, as well as studies in lymphatic function in chronic inflammatory disorders such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

VCOM Research Initiatives The VCOM Biomedical and Clinical Research Initiatives within the strategic plan include precision medicine and genetics, cancer research, neurological injury, neurodegenerative diseases, immunological causes of musculoskeletal disorders, osteopathic research related to musculoskeletal disorders and their treatment, disease prevalence in rural and medically underserved patients and the impact of preventive medicine measures, and global health research related to disadvantaged populations. VCOM’s educational research is focused on successful development of GME training in rural and medically underserved settings, new and innovative educational delivery models, and new models for effective faculty development.

an osteopathic medical college campus through a public/private partnership. One goal of this alliance is to expand biomedical research opportunities for the faculty and students from both institutions. This partnership provides immediate research collaborations with Auburn’s engineering, pharmacy, and veterinary schools, as well as nursing and kinesiology programs. To build a base for collaborative research programs, both partners have committed internal seed funding for pilot projects in areas of interest. The partnership allows VCOM and Auburn faculty access to state- of-the-art medical equipment in the laboratory and through the research park including one of the few 7-Tesla MRI systems in the United States.

VCOM’s Research with Auburn University

In 2015 Auburn University and VCOM developed

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