UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center Magazine Fall 2015 | Page 4

Etty “Tika” Benveniste, Ph.D. Smita Bhatia, M.D., M.P.H. Associate Director for Basic Research Professor and Chair of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology Alma B. Maxwell UAHSF Endowed Chair in Biomedical Research Senior Associate Dean for Research, Administration and Development FINDING CURES, FINDING A HOME “The Cancer Center is the crown jewel of UAB. There really is a lot of hope here within the Cancer Center and the School of Medicine. There is no doubt that UAB is the place to be.” As associate director for basic research at the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center, Etty “Tika” Benveniste, Ph.D., is engaged in fundamental research that keeps UAB on the cutting-edge of cancer discoveries, and she has been leading this charge for nearly 30 years. It’s quite an accomplishment considering she never wanted to move to Birmingham. A native of Oakland, California, Dr. Benveniste received her bachelor’s degree from California State University, Chico, and her Ph.D. in immu