When supplies or resources are needed in the laboratory of the Eppley Institute professor Tony Hollingsworth, Ph.D., they often appear as if by magic.
But Dr. Hollingsworth knows full well who the magician is behind these seeming coincidences.
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Tom Caffrey |
For his preparation and the intangible element he brings to the lab, Caffery –a research coordinator — was presented with the Chancellor’s Gold ‘U’ Award for the month of October.
Below we hear more from Caffrey.
Describe your job in laymen terms.
My job is a paradox: I truly despise what I work on; but I absolutely love my job as a cancer research coordinator! Every day I facilitate the multi-faceted cancer research of Dr. Tony Hollingsworth. Our laboratory houses 15 researchers and graduate students. All are dedicated to the science of cancer diagnostics and therapeutics. On any given day, I balance my time between supervising graduate students in the lab plus accounting, administrative and maintenance functions. Best of all, I have time for my own molecular biology experiments. This often includes the troubleshooting and completion of the work of visiting scientists.
What is your best on-the-job memory?
My best memory is when we were racing with international laboratories to be the first to sequence a few novel cancer genes in the early 1990s. It was at that time I realized that UNMC truly has a global impact. In the end, we have established very close international research collaborations and great friendships.
What is the best part of your job?
It’s an honor being able to contribute to the education of tomorrow’s medical research professionals. Our students are just one minor experiment away from something major. They will go on and do great things. Ultimately, the best part of my job is seeing so many people here really work hard to lessen someone’s loved one’s hurt.
Thank you for all you do.
Congratulations, Tom!
Hey Tom!! Hat's off!!
Congratulations, Tom. You very well deserved for this award. Thanks for your help in the lab.
What a wonderful article and well deserved. I just MAY be a little biased because he also is a wonderful FATHER to my grandchildren and a wonderful HUSBAND to my daughter, Dawn. Go Tom and Love from both of us.
Congratulation ! What a great article ! So proud that you are my bestfriend. Friends for life ! Keep up the good work ! Love Jeff and Diane
Congratulations, Tom. You are so valuable to the work in your laboratory and UNMC.
Congratulations,Tom !!!
Congratulations Tom! I am glad to be a member of one of your collaborating labs .We have had a long association through email and it always brightens my day to hear from you. Your kindness and dedication to your work, radiates through your emails. Go MUC1! -Cathy Madsen
Tom is as dedicated and resourceful as they come. I've had the fortune of working with him and he's influenced me tremendously in my own aspirations. I think most people who know him feel the same way I do; that he deserved this award the year was introduced and it's nice to see him finally get the unmc employee's highest honors!!
Tom forgot to mention that he also makes a big impact on a research group in Europe, Denmark, where his support with advice and reagents are invaluable. Well deserved and many congratulations from Glycomics at UCPH.
Congratulation Tom. Tom was invaluable in guiding me during my graduate career in Tony's lab. I now have my own laboratory at the Arizona Cancer Center and I wish I had a 'Tom' in my lab. What a well deserved honor.