Nebraska State Sen. Jim Smith visited the UNMC campus last week, meeting with Ken Cowan, M.D., Ph.D., to discuss the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center and sitting down with Chancellor Jeffrey P. Gold, M.D.
Smith, who represents District 14 in Papillion, has visited the medical center before, but said he was interested in learning more about the ongoing projects at UNMC, particularly the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center.
“Given the state’s partnership with the facility, I wanted to see how the construction’s coming along and get a better understanding of how this is going to place Nebraska, and specifically the university system, relative to some of the other universities and research facilities across the country,” he said.
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Sen. Jim Smith and UNMC Chancellor Jeffrey P. Gold, M.D. |
“We want to make certain there are good research facilities across the entire country, but this is really going to put Omaha and Nebraska on the map in terms of being a cancer research facility and the combination of patient treatment and research,” he said.
Vice Chancellor for External Affairs Robert Bartee said the campus was pleased to host Sen. Smith.
“UNMC’s partnership with the state is important to us,” he said. “With the support of legislators such as Sen. Smith, and projects such as the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, the research and health care at UNMC will continue to positively impact not only the health of Nebraskans, but of the rest of the country as well.”