Sylvester Cancer Leader Honored with Prestigious BioFlorida Award

MIAMI, FLORIDA (Oct. 18, 2023) – Stephen D. Nimer, MD, director of Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, has been named Researcher of the Year by BioFlorida, an association for the state’s life sciences industry.

The award, which recognizes distinguished researchers whose achievements have significantly advanced scientific knowledge while making an impact on innovation and public health, was presented to Nimer at the association’s annual conference this month.

“We are thrilled to honor Dr. Nimer for his exceptional dedication to advancing our understanding of leukemia and other myeloid malignancies,” said Nancy K. Bryan, president and CEO of BioFlorida. “His groundbreaking research not only expands the frontiers of scientific knowledge, but also holds the promise of transforming patient care.”

“Today, a team approach is a fundamental requirement for advancements in cancer research,” said Nimer, in his acceptance speech. “This award reflects the accomplishments of the many faculty members, trainees and employees at Sylvester who have pooled their talents to drive our patient-centered research forward.”

Nimer, who also is professor of medicine, biochemistry and molecular biology and the Oscar de La Renta Endowed Chair in Cancer Research, has focused his research on adult leukemia. During the past decade, his laboratory has strived to identify novel ways to target leukemia and other blood cancers or make them more susceptible to existing therapies.   

He and his lab colleagues are currently collaborating with renowned investigators from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute on a second, five-year grant from the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society that supports a broad range of basic and clinical research into blood cancers.

Nimer also has received continuous funding from the National Institutes of Health and participated in pivotal clinical trials that led to Food and Drug Administration approvals of therapeutics for patients with myelodysplastic syndrome.

He has authored more than 250 peer-reviewed articles in scientific journals, including Cell, Science, Nature, Nature Medicine and Cancer Cell.

BioFlorida represents 8,600 companies and research organizations in biopharmaceuticals, medical technology, digital health and health systems that employ more than 105,000 Floridians.

Read more about this award and Dr. Nimer’s research on the InventUM blog.

# # #

PHOTO CAPTION/CREDIT

Stephen D. Nimer, MD, director of Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, has been named Researcher of the Year by BioFlorida, an association for the state’s life sciences industry. Photo by Sylvester

# # #