Tampa General Hospital has secured new funding to establish the Center for Lymphatic Education and Research (CLEAR), a multidisciplinary initiative designed to accelerate research, expand education and improve care for patients living with lymphatic diseases.
The one-year, $150,000 Interdisciplinary Center Preparation Grant was awarded through the research office at University of South Florida and will support the formal development of CLEAR through USF Health. The initiative will also lay the groundwork for future National Institutes of Health grant applications, including Program Project and T32 Training Grants focused on advancing lymphatic research and physician-scientist training.
CLEAR builds on Tampa General’s growing national reputation in lymphedema treatment and innovation under the leadership of Dr. Nicholas J. Panetta, M.D., FACS, who established the academic health system’s Lymphedema Care Center and helped launch the first robotic surgical program for lymphedema treatment in the southeastern United States.
The Center will support collaborations across multiple disciplines, including medicine, engineering, artificial intelligence, public health, business and education. Planned initiatives include expanding translational research efforts, developing new training opportunities for residents and fellows, pursuing federal research funding and increasing public awareness of lymphatic diseases and the importance of the lymphatic system in overall health.
