NIH cancer research expert to lead EVMS Surgical Oncology
EVMS has welcomed home an alumna to head its surgical oncology division. Marybeth Hughes, MD (MD '97, Surgery Residency '02), has an extensive background in clinical trials and translational research with a special focus on elevating the care of cancer patients. She will serve as Chief of the Division of Surgical Oncology in EVMS Surgery and Assistant Professor of Surgery.
Dr. Hughes comes to EVMS after serving in the Surgical Oncology Thoracic and Gastrointestinal Oncology Branch Center for Cancer Research at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, MD, where she also was Director for the Surgical Oncology Research Fellowship Program. She completed a surgical fellowship at the NCI before joining its faculty in 2004.
Her passion is clear.
"I hate cancer," Dr. Hughes says. "It affects so many people — one in three adults — I want to eradicate it."
She plans to focus her work at EVMS on strengthening the biorepository, working collaboratively with EVMS faculty already conducting cancer research and raising the clinical profile.
"I hope to bring the most innovative cancer care to Hampton Roads," Dr. Hughes says. "To do that, it's going to take big partnerships with Sentara, Virginia Oncology Associates and dedicated work in multidisciplinary teams."
Dr. Hughes has served as principal investigator and associate investigator for various clinical trials at the NIH on cancer-related protocols. Her work has been published in numerous journals and books on surgical oncology topics, such as neuroendocrine tumors, melanoma liver metastases, pancreatic cancer, adenocarcinoma of the appendix, colorectal cancers, renal-cell carcinoma and breast cancer.
"I hate cancer," Dr. Hughes says. "It affects so many people — one in three adults — I want to eradicate it."
She is a national and international presenter and teaches and mentors medical students, residents and fellows in surgical oncology. While at the NIH, Dr. Hughes re-developed the curriculum for the Surgical Oncology Research Fellowship Program and taught Advanced Trauma Life Support for the Department of Defense.
"Our department is thrilled to have Dr. Hughes join the EVMS family, and we are fortunate to be able to recruit someone of her caliber," says L.D. Britt, MD, MPH, the Edward J. Brickhouse Chair in Surgery, the Henry Ford Professor of Surgery and Professor and Chair of Surgery. "With the pending and well-deserved retirement of Dr. Roger Perry, we anticipate a smooth transition as the baton is being handed off to continue our relay race to achieve the highest quality and most reliable care for all patients."
