Emad Elquza, MD, named medical director at UACC - North Campus

Emad Elquza, MD has been named medical director at the UACC - North Campus. He was selected by leaders of the UA Health Network and the UA College of Medicine to serve as the medical director for the cancer clinics.

“His enthusiasm, dedication and collaborative nature will ensure that patients receive the best care possible and have the opportunity to participate in clinical trials,” said UACC interim director Anne E. Cress, PhD.

He was named medical director of the UACC - Orange Grove Campus in July 2010, so he will now oversee medical operations for the UA Cancer Center, while also coordinating the UACC’s research and outreach efforts to provide patients with the most thorough, cutting-edge cancer care.

“My primary goal as medical director will be to bridge the gap between the incredible research efforts taking place at the UA Cancer Center and the care we’re able to provide to our patients in our clinics,” Dr. Elquza said. “We want to make it easier for patients to navigate our program and gain access to everything we provide here, from clinical trials to supportive care programs.”

Prior to becoming medical director, Dr. Elquza most recently was chief fellow in the Hematology and Medical Oncology Fellowship Training Program at the UACC, where he served a three-year fellowship. He completed a residency and an internship in internal medicine at the UA. Committed to education, Dr. Elquza was awarded the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society resident teaching award and was recognized on the Dean’s List for Excellence in Teaching by a Houseofficer.

He is actively involved in research and his interests include the development of novel treatment options for patients with pancreatic cancer. In addition, he is the Director of Clinical Research at the UACC - Orange Grove Campus.

A native of Los Angeles, Dr. Elquza is a graduate of the University of Southern California and received his medical degree from the Flinders University School of Medicine in Adelaide, Australia. He is actively involved in research and his interests include the study of stem cell mobilization in patients treated with bone marrow transplantation.

He is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine and in medical oncology. Dr. Elquza will hold clinic at each campus and will continue to see gastrointestinal cancer patients.

“This is an opportune time to re-evaluate what’s working at our clinics, as well as the areas in which can improve,” Dr. Elquza said. “We plan on building a rock-solid foundation here so we can deliver our message to the community — that the University of Arizona Cancer Center has the research, clinical and supportive care programs all available under one roof to provide the best possible treatment for the whole patient.”

About The University of Arizona Cancer Center
The University of Arizona Cancer Center is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center headquartered in Arizona. The UACC is supported by NCI Cancer Center Support Grant number CA023074. With primary locations at the University of Arizona in Tucson and at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix, the Cancer Center has more than a dozen research and education offices in Phoenix and throughout the state and 300 physician and scientist members work together to prevent and cure cancer. For more information, go to www.arizonacancercenter.org