Stop Children's Cancer / Bonnie R. Freeman Professorship for Pediatric Oncology Research

Dr. Biljana Horn: Director of Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplantation

Dr. Horn has organized a consortium in Florida for all the major pediatric bone marrow transplantation centers. This Consortium is collaborating to understand transplant related issues unique to Florida.

Addressing and Solving One Issue

The consortium discovered fewer patients in Florida find matches on the Bone Marrow Transplant Registry than in other parts of the country. UF is responding by using haploidentical transplants. Haploidentical transplantation allows for the ability to find a donor for almost everyone.

Unique Protocol for Transplants 

Dr. Horn enrolls patients in an important trial using a method of preparing patients for transplantation that she developed. This protocol uses chemotherapy rather than radiation to prepare a patient for a transplant. It is the hope that this new protocol will lead to improve long‑term quality of life, reduce side effects and increase survival.

NOTE:

In 2006, Stop Children's Cancer gave a $1,000,001 establishing an Endowment for the Stop Children's Cancer / Bonnie R. Freeman Professorship for Pediatric Oncology Research. This Endowment was matched by the State of Florida Trust Fund with a $750,000 gift. At that time, the goal was to use the interest earned on the $1,750,001 to attract and retain a high-quality research doctor. In 2017, Dr. Biljana Horn, well known in her field, was recruited and accepted the position. Due to current fluctuating interest rates, additional funding is needed in order to retain Dr. Horn.