Moffitt Cancer Center

Cheryl Grove Cox who’s Cell Therapy Operations Director at Moffitt Cancer Center is an experienced Manager with a demonstrated history of working in the Cell Therapy research and clinical trial industry. She has skilled in Medical Devices, GMP, clean room production, Hematology, FACT, and Molecular Biology.  

What are your Key Roles and Responsibilities at Moffitt Cancer Center?

As the director of operations, my responsibilities encompass a range of tasks critical to this organization’s smooth functioning. My primary focus is on the day-to-day requirements of the company, which involves overseeing the processing and manufacturing of products, as well as managing the facilities and operations. This includes the maintenance of all equipment and facilities and the inventory of supplies and reagents necessary for production.

I am also responsible for supervising the staff and ensuring all team members are appropriately trained to perform their jobs. I oversee the quality control laboratory to ensure that all products meet the highest quality standards and that our customers receive only the best products.

My role requires close attention to detail and an ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously. I work closely with other departments to ensure that all operations run smoothly and that any issues are quickly addressed.

What are the Major Challenges and Trends you see in The Physical Therapy and Healthcare Field, and How are you Addressing them as a Company?

One of the primary challenges we faced was the need to adapt to changes in processing materials and ensure that we had a reliable supply of the necessary reagents and supplies. To address this, we implemented rigorous validation protocols for new and alternative materials to ensure they met our requirements and would work effectively in our manufacturing processes.

In addition to these changes, we also recognized the importance of preserving fresh products for screening and testing purposes. To accomplish this, we developed a cryopreservation system that allowed us to maintain samples at extremely low temperatures of minus 196 degrees Celsius. This ensured that if a patient or donor tested positive for COVID-19, we could still provide them with the necessary products once they had recovered without compromising the safety or efficacy of the product.

Our commitment to innovation and adaptability allowed us to navigate the challenges posed by the pandemic while continuing to provide our customers with the highest quality products and services. We remain dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of excellence in all operations. We will continue to innovate and adapt as necessary to meet the evolving needs of our patients and customers.

How do you Envision the Future of Healthcare Services in Light of The Various Advancements in Healthcare?

In the cell therapy space, we anticipate a significant shift towards greater automation in the manufacturing process.

The current manual, labor-intensive approach will give way to an automated system utilizing bioreactors and unique mechanisms that a small team of personnel can easily monitor. This will enable us to produce a greater number of products tailored to meet each patient’s individual needs.

"Cell Therapy is a Game-Changing Approach to Medicine, Offering the Potential to Restore Health by Repairing and Replacing Damaged Cells and Tissues"

Currently, the bottleneck in the production of cell therapy products lies in the manual labor involved in the manufacturing process. Automation will help to alleviate this issue, making the production process more efficient and cost-effective. As a result, we expect to see a significant increase in the number of products available to patients in need.

Looking towards the future, we anticipate a shift away from autologous, single-person, individualized products towards allogeneic or off-the-shelf products. This will help to streamline the manufacturing process and increase the availability of cell therapy products to patients on a larger scale. This will enable us to provide a more comprehensive range of products to meet the needs of a broader patient population.

What is your advice for Budding Professionals in the Field?

Maintaining a focus on quality is critical in healthcare, but it is equally essential to be flexible and adaptable in response to evolving circumstances. While adherence to standard procedures is important, we have learned through the challenges presented by COVID-19 that a one-size-fits-all approach is not always feasible or practical.

To ensure the safety and well-being of patients, it is necessary to collaborate across multiple teams, including quality, leadership, and patient-provider teams. This collaboration enables us to identify workable solutions that meet the needs of patients while maintaining the highest standards of safety and quality.

In light of the lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic, we believe that healthcare providers must adopt a more flexible approach to quality and safety, one that is focused on identifying and implementing innovative solutions to address the unique needs of patients. This requires a willingness to challenge conventional thinking and a commitment to collaboration and continuous improvement.

In summary, our approach to quality must be guided by a commitment to safety and flexibility, with a willingness to collaborate across teams to develop innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of patients. By maintaining this approach, we can continue to deliver high-quality care and support the health and well-being of our patients.