Craig Cole, MD
University of Michigan
Interview Date: November 17, 2016
How can doctors treat each myeloma patient in an individualized way? Dr. Craig Cole from the University of Michigan is partnering with the MMRC to do just that. We already know that all myeloma is not the same. And in fact, myeloma changes within an individual patient over time. Dr. Cole shares a study that takes patient bone marrow biopsy samples which are then studied by a computer program at the University of Michigan to test the genetics of that patient sample. The computer identifies genetic mutations and then matches those mutations with possible effective treatments. These treatments are not limited to our standard arsenal of myeloma therapies, but could be identified as treatments used for the same mutation in another disease. The goal is to treat patients in an individualized way for optimal outcomes. Even if you don't go to these facilities for your care, you can have this test run at the open study centers if you have active disease. (The study is not yet treating patients on different arms of drugs, but is at the analysis stage.)
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Craig Emmitt Cole, M.D. is a board-certified Hematologist who received his Bachelor of Science degree in physiology at Michigan State University and the College of Lyman Briggs, in East Lansing Michigan. Dr. Cole went on to receive his doctoral degree at the Ohio State University College of Medicine in Columbus, Ohio. He completed his Internal Medicine Residency and Hematology/Oncology Fellowship at the University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, Michigan. Dr. Cole subsequently had a post-fellowship laboratory research position at the Jerome Lipper Multiple Myeloma Center of Medicine at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Massachusetts. This opportunity then led to him becoming an attending hematologist at Gundersen Health System in La Crosse, Wisconsin for 9 years. There he was an instructor for both the medical and nursing schools of the western campus of the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. He also served as Affiliate Faculty Member of Graduate Community Health Programs and Assistant Professor (Adjunct) at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, Department of Health Professions. While in Wisconsin, his clinical research interest was in multiple myeloma, malignant hematology, clinical apheresis, and patient reported outcomes in hematology. He then returned to the University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Hematology/Oncology with his primary clinical and research interest being in multiple myeloma. In May of 2019, he returned to Michigan State University College of Human Medicine at Breslin Cancer Center as the Director of Clinical Research in Hematology/ Oncology and Multiple Myeloma. Dr. Cole has been participated in over 50 clinical trials in Multiple Myeloma and Malignant Hematology. He is a member of the International Myeloma Working Group, International Myeloma Society and the American Society of Hematology; he has published in national journals and presented at the American Society of Hematology International Myeloma Workshop, and the American Society for Apheresis meetings. He has lectured across the United States to patients, researchers and clinical providers in multiple myeloma, plasma cell dyscrasias, and disparities in cancer care. He has won awards for his work in student and resident teaching, multiple myeloma research, and patient advocacy. Dr. Cole has always had a strong commitment to equity of cancer care, patient empowerment, and community education by working with several local and national patient advocacy associations to bring the good news of myeloma research to everyone.
Myeloma survivor, patient advocate, wife, mom of 6. Believer that patients can help accelerate a cure by weighing in and participating in clinical research. Founder of the HealthTree Foundation.
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