Drs. Vose, Batra honored for cancer research at Bell Lecture

Lectureship photos Above is a photo slideshow with images from the Michael and Gail Yanney and William and Lisa Roskens Lectureship, which was held at the Sorrell Center on Sept. 22. The lecture was delivered by John Niederhuber, M.D., director of the National Cancer Institute, who spent the day at UNMC and the Eppley Cancer Center. Dr. Niederhuber reflected on his trip to UNMC in a letter to NCI advisers. Read Dr. Niederhuber’s letter. (Photos by Justin Limoges)

Two of UNMC’s leading cancer researchers — Julie Vose, M.D., and Surinder Batra, Ph.D. — received the Carol Bell Distinguished Cancer Research Award on Sept. 22.

A lymphoma expert, Dr. Vose is the Neumann M. and Mildred E. Harris Professor and chief of the hematology and oncology section at UNMC.

Dr. Batra’s research is focused on pancreatic cancer. He is professor and chairman of the department of biochemistry and molecular biology.

The awards are named in honor of Carol Bell, a longtime Omaha volunteer who died from cancer in 1997. She was the wife of Bob Bell, vice president for community relations development for UNeMed Corp., UNMC’s technology transfer company.

Bell and his family created the Carol Bell Lectureship, which is given every two years. This year’s lecture was given by John Niederhuber, M.D., director of the National Cancer Institute, who also delivered the Michael and Gail Yanney and William and Lisa Roskens Lectureship on the evening of Sept. 22.