New cancer center director sees ‘huge potential’
GREENVILLE, N.C. (Dec. 15, 2004) — After a decade at the Indiana University School of Medicine, Dr. Marc Randall has returned to his home state to lead the Leo W. Jenkins Cancer Center.
From March 1994 to November of this year, Randall was chairman of the Department of Radiation Oncology and William A. Mitchell Professor of Radiation Oncology at Indiana University School of Medicine. During his tenure there, the department grew from nine faculty members to 22 and extramural research funding grew from $100,000 to more than $1.76 million.
Dr. Marc Randall
Randall hopes to bring similar growth and development of existing programs to the Jenkins Cancer Center, a joint venture of Pitt County Memorial Hospital and the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University. He is also professor of radiation oncology at the medical school.
Randall said he sees challenges and opportunities for the cancer center. Immediate needs include developing the breast health center and the gamma knife facilities, operational issues, recruiting outstanding clinicians to strengthen oncology services, and building research programs. He also wants to work with Brody School of Medicine scientists who can benefit from a strong relationship with the cancer center before, increasing extramural funding from government and private industry sources, and creating an atmosphere of creativity, questioning and learning.
“”That will allow us to attract and retain additional faculty members who will contribute to our success,”” Randall said.
Other goals include addressing the physical space needs of the center, recruiting faculty, and continuing to build the philanthropy effort. “”Basically, we’re out of space and we’re going to be growing, so where do we go?”” he said.
He added that the cancer center will help in the recruitment of new leaders for medical oncology and surgical oncology divisions. “As we go out to recruit, we have to show potential faculty members that we have a cancer center infrastructure that will allow them to build careers here,” he said.
Linda Roberson, vice president of cancer and outpatient services at PCMH, said the Leo W. Jenkins Cancer Center board said Randall is the right person to lead the center into its next phases of growth and development.
“”When you look at his experience, his work in research and his interest in being a cancer center director, it fell into place with our needs,”” Roberson said. ““During his interview process, he had drafted some ideas for our center and he thinks he can take our cancer center to the next level of service, and the cancer center board believes he is the right person to do that.”
“”He has the ability to take us to the next level and be a real team player with all the physicians involved with the cancer center,” she added.”
Dr. Cynda Johnson, dean of the Brody School of Medicine, agreed that Randall is a great fit for the position. She cited his strong research background with a focus on gynecologic cancer.
Randall has been an active member of the Gynecology Oncology Group, a group funded by the National Cancer Institute, since 1986. He recently chaired a GOG study demonstrating for the first time the role of cancer drugs in the treatment of women with advanced cancer of the uterus. He also has been named to fellowship in the American College of Radiology.
Johnson also pointed out Randall is the radiation oncology associate editor and chapter author for the fourth edition of the world’s leading textbook for gynecologic cancer, “Principles and Practice of Gynecologic Oncology.”
“”To have recruited an individual of such international renown sets the stage for additional high-profile recruits to take our offers seriously, as we build the breadth and depth of staff and services in our cancer center,”” said Johnson.