HJAR May/Jun 2021

34 MAY / JUN 2021  I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF ARKANSAS   Healthcare Briefs such as toxins or other foreign substances on its surface, triggering other immune cells such as T cells and antibody-producing B cells to respond against the antigens. The vaccines are a type of immunotherapy that harnesses the body’s germ-fighting immune sys- tem to both detect and attack any cancer cells that may return after the completion of initial treatment. “We are thrilled to support this groundbreak- ing project, whose findings will further our under- standing of this complicated disease, and bring us closer to a world where no one needs to fear an ovarian cancer diagnosis,” said Audra Moran, president and CEO of OCRA, in announcing sev- eral grants totaling $4.3 million awarded to 16 scientists at 14 medical centers internationally. Cannon’s collaborative research development grant supports a partnership between UAMS serving as the lead institution, joined by the Uni- versity of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pennsyl- vania, and MD Anderson Cancer Center at the University of Texas in Houston, Texas. The grant began in January and runs through 2023. Cannon is a professor of immunology in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology and the Department of Obstetrics and Gyne- cology in the UAMS College of Medicine. His research, spanning more than 15 years, focuses on novel strategies for dendritic cell vaccination. Throughout the last decade, dendritic cell-based anti-tumor vaccines have proven to be a safe ther- apeutic approach but have had inconsistent clin- ical results. “This award will support the development of an integrated and multi-faceted program to target immune suppression using blood cells in the ovar- ian tumor microenvironment,” said Cannon. “We hope our work will improve responses to immu- notherapy, including dendritic cell vaccination.” While research has shown that ovarian cancer vaccines and immunotherapies may hold prom- ise, it has not yet been determined whether these treatments, which are designed to prevent the recurrence of ovarian cancer, work. The standard primary treatment for ovarian cancer is still surgery followed by chemother- apy. More studies are necessary to determine the potential role immunotherapy may offer in preventing ovarian cancer recurrence and progression. “The OCRA award is focused on how to over- come resistance to treatment, including dendritic cell vaccination,” Cannon said, adding that the primary purpose of his study is to learn about the role certain infiltrating immune cells within ovar- ian tumor, play in the progression of cancer and suppression of treatment. “I am optimistic that we’ll reach the point where we can do this, especially with clinical trials.” Cannon received a doctorate degree from the University of London and pursued postdoctoral research at the National Institute for Medical Research, London, and the Scripps Research Insti- tute in La Jolla, California, before joining UAMS. Cannon has published extensively in the field of ovarian cancer research, and his work has been supported by the Department of Defense Ovar- ian Cancer Research Program, the Rivkin Center, and the National Institutes of Health. Cannon is a member of the NIH Immuno-Oncology Research Special Emphasis Panel and has served as chair of the Department of Defense’s review panels in breast, prostate, and ovarian cancer. Rheumatologist NasimKhan, MD, Joins CHI St. Vincent Little Rock Diagnostic Clinic CHI St. Vincent announced that rheumatologist Nasim Khan, MD, has joined the team of physi- cians at the CHI St. Vincent Little Rock Diagnostic Clinic, a multi-speciality medical practice founded in 1961 providing diagnostic and treatment ser- vices to patients throughout Central Arkansas. The care of inflammatory arthritis such as rheu- matoid arthritis is a particular focus of Khan’s professional practice. After attending medical school at All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi, Khan completed a residency in inter- nal medicine at Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit and a fellowship training in rheumatology at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Khan previously served as a staff physician with the Central Arkansas Veter- ans Healthcare System and associate professor in the Division of Rheumatology at UAMS. Khan has published more than 30 research papers and made more than 50 national and international sci- entific conference presentations. Khan is now seeing patients at the CHI St. Vin- cent Little Rock Diagnostic Clinic at 10001 Lile Drive in Little Rock. Conway Regional Health Receives $30K from the Delta Dental of Arkansas Foundation The Conway Regional Health Foundation received a $30,000 grant from the Delta Den- tal of Arkansas Foundation to help improve oral hygiene and access to dental care through the Conway Regional Interfaith Dental Clinic. The Conway Regional Interfaith Dental Clinic is dedicated to providing care in Faulkner County. The dental clinic provides oral hygiene services at reduced rates for individuals without insurance. Procedures and services include bridges, clean- ing, crowns, extractions, fillings, selective root canals, and x-rays/radiology. “As a community-based health system, we are grateful for partnerships that support our mission to provide high-quality, compassionate health- care services,” said Matt Troup, president and CEO of Conway Regional Health System. “With this grant from the Delta Dental of Arkansas Foundation, we will be able to enhance access to dental care in our community.” “The opportunity to provide affordable dental care through the dental clinic makes a significant impact on the community in Conway,” said Gary Jones, DDS, with the Conway Interfaith Dental Clinic. “There are many people in our community who need dental care but do not have access to it because they do not have insurance. Expanding access to dental care is important because poor dental hygiene is linked to a variety of chronic conditions like diabetes and heart disease.” Nasim Khan, MD