NSU Receives Funding for Early Detection of Breast, Other Cancers

From left, President George L. Hanbury, Pharmacy Dean Michelle Clark, U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, and President-Elect Harry Moon

The university has received $963,000 from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to help detect genetic differences among women that may make some more vulnerable to cancers and other diseases.

“I am thrilled to announce these federal dollars headed to Nova Southeastern University for the purchase of cutting-edge instruments that will be used for the early detection of cancers and other diseases,” said breast cancer survivor U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who presented the check to NSU.

Disparities in health outcomes based on ancestry are well-established and, for most of today’s major diseases, show people of African ancestry suffer worse outcomes. African American women have a 41 percent higher breast cancer death rate than white women, even though their incidence of breast cancer is four percent lower. Other cancers and major diseases show the same trend.

“These funds will support critical research to help us recognize and understand genetic differences and enable doctors to intervene sooner with treatments,” said Dr. Harry K. Moon, president-elect, executive vice president, and chief operating officer of NSU.

Dr. Michelle Clark, dean of NSU’s Barry and Judy Silverman College of Pharmacy, noted NSU is well-positioned for this research, as South Florida is a community with a rich blend of people representing multiple cultures, countries, and socioeconomic groups.

“Through genetic and other analysis, NSU scientists will explore how differences among people at the cellular level may contribute to their likelihood to develop cancer and other diseases,” she said. “Understanding our differences will lead to better diagnoses as well as better treatment options and outcomes.”