Shahla Masood, M.D., a University of Florida College of Medicine-Jacksonville professor and chair of the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, has been appointed medical director of the Shands Jacksonville Breast Health Center.
Masood is an internationally recognized physician in breast cancer diagnosis and prognosis, who was the driving force behind the establishment of the Breast Health Center. She has been key in fostering the concept of integrated breast healthcare through a multidisciplinary approach. Masood has earned the respect of the scientific community and the trust of the public at the global level. She is the recipient of several national and international awards, and is a renowned pathologist with specific interest in enhancing the quality of breast healthcare around the world.
She is the founder and editor in chief of The Breast Journal, the founder and past president of the International Society of Breast Pathology and the director of the Annual Multidisciplinary Symposium on Breast Disease and the Breast Cancer Public Forum. She is the author of three books, several book chapters and many publications.
Masood is a frequent speaker at national and international symposiums and a member of several breast cancer consensus panels. She is a member of the board of trustees of the National Consortium of Breast Centers and the steering committee of the Breast Health Global Initiative. She is also a member of the executive committee of the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers and currently serves as the president of the World Society of Breast Health.
As the newly appointed director of the Breast Health Center, her duties and responsibilities will include providing medical direction for breast healthcare, research and education, directing the overall breast health educational opportunities for public and healthcare professionals and serving as the medical liaison with community physicians, hospital staff, referring communities and the general public. She will also coordinate and moderate the Breast Tumor Conference.
Masood plans to establish a multidisciplinary team of physicians to provide comprehensive services and programs for patients with breast disease. Pathologists, radiologists, surgeons, oncologists and radiation therapists will work together toward the goal of providing coordinated, optimal evaluation and treatment of patients, and support for families and long-term survivors. Patients and family members may also take part in education programs to learn more about the disease and available treatment options.
Other plans for the center include creating a breast health advisory committee to monitor quality of care, making recommendations for treatment and fostering clinical research. There are also plans to create a high-risk breast clinic that will be used to direct patients to early intervention services.
In addition to these new services, Masood and her staff in the UF Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine will continue to provide diagnosis and second opinion services, fine needle aspiration biopsies, risk assessment and ductal lavage.
“I’m committed to the attainment of national accreditation for the Breast Health Center,” said Masood. “We want to distinguish ourselves in this community as the place to go for breast health care.”
Masood intends to build an infrastructure to allow members of the breast team to conduct clinical trials and participate in translational research. She will continue her research in breast cancer diagnosis and prevention by using minimally invasive procedures and advanced molecular base technologies to better identify high-risk breast cancer patients.
“Conducting studies at the bench and bringing the results to the bedsides of our patients will result in the true translation of research,” said Masood. “Research is the pulse of academic medicine.”
Robert Nuss, M.D., dean of the UF College of Medicine-Jacksonville regional campus and associate vice president for health affairs, said Masood’s passion for breast care makes her the ideal candidate for the position.
“Her well-established national and international reputation as an expert on breast cancer, as well as her strong and dynamic leadership promise an optimistic future for the Breast Health Center on our campus,” said Nuss.
For more information about the Breast Health Center, call (904) 244-7232.