About the Center
Our History
Since formal recognition in 1992, the Cancer Prevention & Research Center (CPRC) has worked to strengthen cancer research efforts at WSU and throughout the region;
build a critical mass of diverse professionals examining various issues relating to cancer; facilitate work groups that cross traditional boundaries and serve as a resource for cancer education to the general public. While our approach has grown
over the years, our focus has not. One of the first goals of the CPRC was to help strengthen cancer research efforts at Washington State University (WSU). Among the original founding members and interested Colleges, it was identified that this goal could best be accomplished by hiring a Director who would oversee the operations of the Center and work to organize and develop new projects. It was anticipated that by taking this early step, the CPRC would in its daily operations, provide a research focus for faculty from various disciplines, increase the visibility of cancer research efforts at the University, provide a new mechanism for the development of new projects and through all of these activities provide a benefit to society.
Organized under the College of Pharmacy at WSU, the establishment of the Dorothy O. Kennedy Distinguished Professorship also provided the CPRC with its first regular Director, Dr. Jonathan Li, who would also be the first Dorothy O. Kennedy Distinguished Professor. In addition to helping fulfilling some of the early goals, Dr. Li also began to lay the groundwork for what would ultimately become today’s Center. Addition of new faculty members to the Center, and organizing the basic operations was of prime importance and comprised much of the work that Dr. Li did as Director.
In 1993, Dr. Paul Sylvester became Interim Director and helped to establish Cancer Awareness Day at WSU through a series of cancer-related seminars given by distinguished scientists. Dr. Sylvester also worked to entice additional faculty into the CPRC in order to build the critical mass that is necessary to not only be competitive for research funding, but to also put that funding to use in a way that generates new discoveries.
In 1998, Dr. Gary Meadows was appointed as the Dorothy O. Kennedy Distinguished Professor and Director. Under Dr. Meadows, the CPRC has realized its original goals and has expanded its operations to include continuous membership growth from individuals within the University, the oncology community in Spokane, and various other professional cancer service organizations. Dr. Meadows was also instrumental in helping secure operational funding for the CPRC, which provides not only an administrative structure to support CPRC and member related projects, but has also helped to stimulate outreach and professional activities, develop new funds for new research, and helps to give WSU additional prominence as a major research institution.
Today, the Cancer Prevention & Research Center continues to work with members from throughout the Inland Northwest. CPRC Members from all WSU campus sites, the Spokane Medical Community, and other various institutions make up one of the most diverse, organized bodies of cancer researchers, clinicians and service providers between Seattle and St. Paul. The Center maintains two offices (Pullman and Spokane) to better coordinate with the expansive medical base in Spokane. The CPRC, its members and their work have been featured in hundreds of scholarly publications worldwide, as well as various local and national newspapers, newsletters and other related media.
