Proton Therapy News Brief Roundup – April 2026
CME Webinar Presented by UF Health Proton Therapy Institute and Global Partners
In February 2026, Nancy Mendenhall, MD, FACR, FASTRO, and Curtis Bryant, MD, MPH, from the UF Health Proton Therapy Institute teamed up with the CYCLHAD Centre and the team from Centre Francois Baclesse in Caen, Normandy to provide an educational webinar for radiation oncologists, researchers and other head and neck cancer experts. Proton therapy can be beneficial to treat non-melanoma skin cancer that has invaded areas of the head and neck region. Dr. Bryant shared case studies and outcomes for patients treated for this diagnosis with proton therapy. Our radiation oncology experts were joined by specialists from the French proton center in Normandy who shared their case studies and experiences as well. This webinar attracted over 150 people from all over the world. You can listen to this medical education on our media page: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFpx-PiSM4U&t=50s.
Faculty Promotions
We are proud to announce that several of our physicists have been promoted in academic rank and faculty status at the University of Florida as a result of their dedication to research, teaching and exceptional skills in their area of expertise. They work at the UF Health Proton Therapy Institute.
Hardev Grewal, PhD, medical physicist, was also awarded Graduate Faculty Status as a part of the medical physics graduate program. Dr. Grewal is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the UF College of Medicine Department of Radiation Oncology.
Perry Johnson, PhD, Director of Physics, was promoted to full Professor in the UF College of Medicine Department of Radiation Oncology, and leads the medical physics team at the UF Health Proton Therapy Institute.
Twyla Willoughby, PhD, medical physicist, was awarded Graduate Faculty Status in the medical physics graduate program. Dr. Willoughby is a Clinical Associate Professor in the UF College of Medicine Department of Radiation Oncology.
UF Health Cancer Institute Again Recognized as a Florida Cancer Center of Excellence
The University of Florida Health Cancer Institute, which includes the UF Health Proton Therapy Institute, has once again been recognized as a Cancer Center of Excellence by Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida Department of Health. The UF Health Cancer Institute has held the designation for more than a decade since the program began.
The Florida Legislature created the Cancer Center of Excellence designation in 2013 to recognize hospitals, treatment centers and other providers that demonstrate excellence in patient-centered coordinated care for people undergoing cancer treatment and therapy in Florida.
The goal is to encourage excellence in cancer care, attract and retain the best cancer care providers to the state and help Florida providers be recognized nationally as a preferred destination for quality cancer care, according to the Florida Department of Health.
Read more about the announcement.
Local Students Welcomed for Behind-the-Scenes Tour
In February, we hosted our 3rd Annual Student & Family Day at the UF Health Proton Therapy Institute. Our team welcomed 40 local students and their families to a behind-the-scenes look at the proton therapy equipment. Students from Duncan U. Fletcher High School, Episcopal School of Jacksonville (particularly through its Science Program) and First Coast High School were able to get a glimpse into the careers in radiation therapy and see how proton is offering hope to more cancer survivors.
UF College of Medicine Renames Department of Radiation Oncology
The UF Health Proton Therapy Institute physicians are also faculty of the University of Florida College of Medicine Department of Radiation Oncology in Gainesville, Fla. The medical director of the UF Health Proton Therapy Institute, Nancy Mendenhall, MD, FACR, FASTRO, is currently the interim co-chair for the radiation oncology department. As the department looks for a new chair, a new philanthropic gift has been received to support faculty recruitment and research among other things. The department has been renamed The Alan H. Porter, M.D., & Claudia B. Porter, R.N., Department of Radiation Oncology.
“Dr. Porter is a giant in the field of radiation oncology,” said Dr. Mendenhall. “We are grateful for his trust in UF to expand his and Claudia’s efforts to improve the lives of cancer patients through this transformational gift.” Find out more about this gift that is helping UF radiation oncologists stay at the forefront of patient care: https://ufhealth.org/news/2026/uf-college-of-medicine-renames-department-for-dedicated-donors-and-alumni.
56th Annual UF Radiation Oncology Research Seminar
Dr. Alan Porter and Claudia Porter, RN, helped to welcome the attendees for the 56th Annual UF Radiation Oncology Research Seminar in March. This seminar highlighted the latest research by the radiation oncology physicians and residents, and the collaboration necessary to provide the best care to our patients. Find out the highlights of this annual event here: https://radonc.med.ufl.edu/2026/03/16/innovation-education-collaboration-highlight-the-56th-uf-radiation-oncology-research-seminar/