The Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center

Patient Care
- Research Overview
- - Membership Directory
    Search a listing of full members of the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, as well as directories of members by research program.
  - Membership Criteria
    Learn about the criteria for becoming a member of the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center.
  - Become a Member
    Apply for membership in the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center by submitting a short form.
- - Shared Resources
    The Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center is home to state-of-the-art facilities and provides support to shared resources at UNMC.
  - UNMC Cores and Shared Resources
    Researchers also have access to shared resources through the UNMC Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research.
  - Request Research Space
    Complete this form to request research space.
  - Research Funding Opportunities
    NCI-designated Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center supports Principal Investigators through pilot grants and seed funding to explore novel research ideas and engage in team science projects that address critical cancer care and treatment challenges.
- - Cancer Biology Program
    The Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center Cancer Biology Program represents a long-standing commitment to cancer mechanisms-focused research.
  - Translational Cancer Research Program
    This program develops and delivers small molecules to modulate validated cancer targets as eventual cancer therapeutics.
  - Cancer Prevention & Control Program
    This program aims at identifying and understanding the factors influencing cancer risk, with a special emphasis on disparities and rural populations in the catchment area.
- - Registries
    View registries that are currently enrolling subjects through iCaRe2.
  - Information for Patients
    Participation helps researchers understand specific cancer types, determine risk factors, advance treatment for patients and discover cancer prognostic markers.
  - Information for Researchers
    iCaRe2 aims to foster clinical and epidemiological studies and accelerate the secondary use of cancer and health related data for translational research.
  - Information for Sponsors
    Your gift will support the continuous system growth and improve strides in personalized medicine, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of cancer.
- Community Outreach Overview
- Mission
  We are committed to reducing the cancer burden across Nebraska through strong partnerships, community-driven initiatives, and programs informed by community needs and priorities.
- Community Advisory Board
  This board advises on the direction of cancer center research, dissemination of evidence from ongoing research activities, and policy recommendations.
- Speaker's Bureau
  The Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center Speakers Bureau provides resources to community groups across Nebraska including experts to give presentations on cancer-related topics.
- Resources
  The Community Outreach and Engagement Office provides such resources as videos, infographics, reports and community needs assessments.
- Our Team
  Find members of the Community Outreach and Engagement Office team.
- Nebraska Breast Health Navigation Program
  This program is working to eliminate barriers for breast cancer survivors, using trained volunteers called Lay Patient Navigators who provide peer-to-peer support.
- Training & Education Overview
- Upper Midwest Emerging Scholars Exchange Program
  Learn about a new opportunity for Early Stage Investigators to share their research at peer institutions.
- Leadership Overview
- Director's Message
  Read a message from Joann Sweasy, PhD, director of the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center.
- About the Center
  Learn about the mission and vision of the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center.

Our Team

Team Members

Shinobu Watanabe-Galloway, PhD

Professor, UNMC College of Public Health Department of Epidemiology
Associate Director, Community Outreach & Engagement, Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center
Co-Director, Biostatistics & Epidemiology Research Design Core, Great Plains IDeA-CTR
Research Director, Behavioral Health Education Center of Nebraska
Full Member, Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center

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Phone: 402-559-5387

Rachael Schmidt, DNP, FNP-C, AOCNP

Assistant Director for Cancer Education & Screening, Community Outreach & Engagement Office
Program Director, Cancer Survivorship and High Risk & Prevention

Rachael Schmidt, DPN

Keyonna M. King, DrPH

Associate Professor, UNMC Department of Health Promotion
Didactic Instructor, Community Outreach and Needs Assessment

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Phone: 402-559-8924

Juan A. Santamaria, MD, FACS, FSSO

Associate Professor, UNMC Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology
Assistant Director for Clinical Integration, Community Outreach and Engagement Office, Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center
Co-Founder, Director, Breast Health Navigation Program
Surgical Oncologist, Nebraska Medicine

Juan A. Santamaria, MD, FACS, FSSO

Sai Paritala, MPH, PharmD

Assistant Professor, UNMC Department of Epidemiology
Assistant Director of Data Analytic Assessment, Community Outreach & Engagement Office

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Phone: 531-530-7067

Melissa Baron

Clinical Integration Coordinator

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Phone: 402-559-5639

Abraham Myers

Office Associate I

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Phone: 402-559-7457

Abraham Myers

JaNae Vinson

Community Cancer Prevention and Control Navigator

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Phone: 402-552-2717

Joanna Rodriguez

Community Cancer Prevention and Control Navigator

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Phone: 402-559-5465

Rahul Singh

Statistician I

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Phone: 402-559-2072

Clinical Trials: Community Scientists

A' Jamal Byndon

Clinical Trials Community Scientists

A' Jamal Byndon

Cindy Urlacher

Clinical Trials Community Scientists

Indira Engel

Clinical Trials Community Scientists

John Noel

Clinical Trials Community Scientists

Kathy Folk

Clinical Trials Community Scientists

Pattie Wojtkiewicz

Clinical Trials Community Scientists

Pattie Wojkiewicz