Collier to head Children’s Cancer Center

Published on Thursday, July 12, 2018

By: Cynthia Wall

Dr. Anderson Collier, professor of pediatric hematology and oncology, has been named director of the University of Mississippi Medical Center’s Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology.

As director he works with the UMMC Cancer Institute and leads Mississippi’s only Children’s Cancer Center and clinics for cancer and hematologic disorders throughout the state.

“We want to continue to provide state of the art, cutting edge therapy to all patients,” he said. “We want to make sure patients can come here to get whatever research, clinical trials they could get elsewhere.” 

Plans include:

• Working with Children’s of Mississippi as it constructs a new pediatric building. This will bring pediatric imaging services and make more surgical suites available.
• Adding new subspecialty clinics.
• Increasing offerings for the state’s sickle cell population and take advantage of Mississippi’s stable sickle cell population to conduct some advanced research on the disease.
• Working with the adult cancer teams to provide smoother transitions for pediatric patients who are aging out of the children’s services.

Collier sits on the UMMC Cancer Institute’s Clinical Leadership Committee and is part of efforts to improve and maintain high quality for pediatric and adult cancer patients.

A graduate of Vanderbilt University, Collier completed an internship and residency in pediatrics and a fellowship in pediatric hematology and oncology at University of Texas at Southwestern Medical Center. He has completed the Millsaps College Else School of Management Business Advantage Program since coming to UMMC in 2013.