Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute Announces Bradley Monk, MD as Medical Director of Late-Phase Clinical Research Program

Fort Myers, Fla., October 9, 2023 – Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute, LLC (FCS) is pleased to announce that Bradley Monk, MD will join the statewide practice as Medical Director of Late-Phase Research, effective January 1, 2024.

Nathan H. Walcker, FCS Chief Executive Officer, said, “FCS continues to push our vision of excellence for clinical cancer care and research in the community oncology setting, as evidenced by our growing national reputation. Dr. Monk shares our passion and enthusiasm for leveraging our investments in precision medicine platforms and Real World Evidence to further drive innovations that are transforming oncology care worldwide.”

Board-certified in gynecologic oncology and obstetrics and gynecology, Dr. Monk joins FCS with extensive experience in clinical research and the development of clinical research programs in community oncology settings.

His research special interests are primarily focused on the prevention and treatment of gynecologic cancers, which served as a driver in his co-founding of the GOG-Partners (GOG-P) Foundation® (GOG-F), a nonprofit organization committed to advancing clinical and scientific research in the field of gynecologic malignancies. As part of the GOG-Foundation (GOG-F), GOG-P has built partnerships working directly with pharmaceutical organizations to operationalize clinical trials outside of the National Cancer Institute’s framework, establishing the national gynecologic clinical trials network. Currently, he serves as Director of the GOG-P and Vice-president consortium and Vice-president of GOG-F. Dr. Monks plans to leverage his experience and leadership across all tumor types as FCS expands in footprint in late-phase practice changing clinical trials.

As a principal investigator, Dr. Monk has been involved in numerous groundbreaking studies throughout his career that are advancing treatment regiments and influencing the standard of cancer care. He has presented his findings at 100s of national and international forums and authored more than 400 peer-reviewed articles and more than 35 book chapters focused on the prevention and treatment of gynecologic malignancies and patient reported outcomes. Dr. Monk is a past recipient of the esteemed Ernst Wertheim Award for his research in cervical cancer.

“Dr. Monk is an outstanding physician and a highly experienced investigator with an extensive list of accomplishments in clinical research,” said Lucio N. Gordan, MD, FCS President & Managing Physician. “Building upon our extensive capabilities and in collaboration with physicians, clinicians and drug development teams across our practice, Dr. Monk will lead us in launching new initiatives to deploy more late-phase trials. These represent the critical final steps in bringing groundbreaking new therapies and drugs to cancer patients.”

In his most recent role prior to joining FCS, Dr. Monk is a director and principal investigator for HonorHealth at the Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center in Scottsdale, Arizona, where he also serves as the site research leader for Sarah Cannon Research Institute. Dr. Monk is also a professor on the Clinical Scholar Track at the University of Arizona College of Medicine.

“The research and innovation coming out of FCS is paving the way for the next generation of medical oncologists and hematologists. Their achievements in a community oncology setting matches, and in many cases, surpasses the work being done large academic centers. FCS has built a solid foundation for clinical trials and is well-groomed to deepen its breadth and specialization in the late-phase research space. I am excited at the opportunity to have a hand in developing specialized programs with the practice and together with their esteemed investigators, seek ways to further the research and medical advancements in the oncology world,” says Dr. Monk.

After receiving his medical degree, graduating at the top of his class, from the University of Arizona College of Medicine in Tucson, Dr. Monk completed a residency in obstetrics and gynecology at the University of California, Los Angeles and was the recipient of two fellowships, one in gynecologic oncology and one in medical genetics.

FCS provides ongoing access to more than 300 clinical trials within 27 FCS clinics and three Drug Development Units (early-phase) across Florida. Clinical trials occur in four specific phases to determine the risks, safety and effectiveness of new therapies compared to the current standard therapy. Late-phase trials monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of new drugs and therapies in treating different types of cancer trying to improve the standard of care.