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UK Healthcare receives NCI designation

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The University of Kentucky’s Markey Cancer Center reached a long-sought after milestone Friday, with officials announcing the center has been granted National Cancer Center Institute cancer center status.  Despite being ranked at or near the top nationally for a multitude of cancers, Kentucky has been one of 16 states without an NCI-designated facility. 

With the designation comes the potential for millions in new research funding and along with new drugs and clinical trials only available through the NCI.  The NCI handed out close to $3.9 billion in federal grants in 2011, $256 million of which was earmarked solely for NCI-designated cancer centers.  The Markey Cancer Center is the 68th medical center in the country to be awarded the designation.

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