Anne Kessinger, M.D., professor and chief of
oncology/hematology at the University of Nebraska Medical Center,
has been elected president of the American Association for Cancer
Education. She will serve a one-year term
The association has about 400 members and is open to anyone
engaged in any aspect of cancer education. The association is
focused on inspiring cancer education by professionals whose
duties include cancer education or training within academic
health-care institutions, or other organizations possessing
formal cancer training and teaching programs. The association
also provides a forum for health-care professionals concerned
with the study and improvement of cancer education at the
undergraduate, graduate, continuing professional and
paraprofessional levels.
Dr. Kessinger has been a faculty member at UNMC since 1972.
She was named professor in 1990 and section chief in 1991. In
1984, the nation’s first peripheral stem cell transplant was
started at UNMC — largely as a result of Dr. Kessinger’s
research.
Dr. Kessinger, who lives in Scribner, was honored for her
efforts to advance cancer research and education with the 1997
Outstanding Research and Creative Activity Award, which
recognizes University of Nebraska scientists whose research and
creative activities merit national and international acclaim. The
award honored Dr. Kessinger’s pioneering work in peripheral
stem cell transplantation.
An internationally recognized leader in the field, Dr.
Kessinger has written or been a contributing author on nearly 500
abstracts and articles for scientific
journals or medical textbook chapters, and has been an invited
lecturer at more than 80 conferences and seminars. In addition to
her research with stem cells, Dr. Kessinger has been published
extensively on therapeutic approaches for lung cancer and other
solid tumors.
UNMC is the only public academic health science center in the
state. Through its commitment to research, education and patient
care, UNMC has established itself as one of the country’s leading
centers for cancer research and treatment and solid organ
transplantation. More than $25 million in research grants and
contracts are awarded to UNMC scientists annually. In addition,
UNMC’s educational programs are responsible for training more
health professionals practicing in Nebraska than any other
institution.