Winship Cancer Institute Cancer Center Support Grant

Emory University, Atlanta GA

Investigators

Linked publications, trials & patents

Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT - Cancer Clinical Investigator Team Leadership Award (CCITLA) Dr. Eaton is an academic radiation oncologist with a research focus on therapeutic clinical trial development involving novel approaches of radiotherapy for pediatric and adult brain tumor patients. Her goal is to lead institutional investigator-initiated and NCI-funded cooperative group clinical trials that will further advance the fight against cancer. Dr. Eaton plays a critical role in Winship Cancer Institute's clinical trial program and is extensively involved in NCI funded clinical trials. She is as an active member in multiple national committees of NRG Oncology and the Children's Oncology Group (COG), and the Pediatric Brain Tumor Consortium (PBTC). She is the institutional principal investigator of two NCI-funded clinical trials through NRG Oncology and five investigator initiated clinical trials at Winship, and contributes as an active co-investigator on numerous others. As a radiation oncology leader among the Winship brain tumor pediatric oncology programs, Dr. Eaton is an important contributor to patient enrolment to NCTN trials at Winship, playing a major role in the Winship Lead Academic Participating Site (LAPS award) award from the NCI. She is an integral member of Winship's Clinical and translational Research Committee (CTRC) and serves as the Pediatric Medical Director of the Emory Proton Therapy Center (EPTC), which opened in 2018 as the first proton center in the state of Georgia. In this role, Dr. Eaton led the EPTC Imaging and Radiation Oncology Core (IROC) credentialing process necessary for participation in NCTN clinical trials, critical to the successful opening of 12 NCI funded clinical trials at EPTC and supporting NCTN clinical trial accrual with the adoption of this advanced technology in the state of Georgia. Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University fully supports Dr. Eaton in her career goals to advance as a national leader in clinical trials for brain tumor patients and pediatric malignancies, and in her ongoing efforts to enhance the clinical trial program at Winship. The CCITLA award will support protected time for Dr. Eaton to focus on key initiatives that will develop infrastructure and process improvements to expand clinical trials and increase trial accrual at Winship, and further develop her own promising protocol concepts at the national level. The CCITLA funding mechanism will undoubtedly help foster academic growth and lead to further leadership roles within the Department of Radiation Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, as well as the NCI Trial Networks.