Tampa General Hospital Secures Funding to Establish Center for Lymphatic Education and Research

Backed by new funding through the University of South Florida, the Center for Lymphatic Education and Research will unite clinicians, scientists and educators to advance treatment, awareness and innovation for lymphatic diseases.

TAMPA, Fla., Aug. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Tampa General Hospital has secured new funding to establish the Center for Lymphatic Education and Research (CLEAR), a multidisciplinary initiative designed to accelerate research, expand education and improve care for patients living with lymphatic diseases.

The one-year, $150,000 Interdisciplinary Center Preparation Grant was awarded through the research office at University of South Florida and will support the formal development of CLEAR through USF Health. The initiative will also lay the groundwork for future National Institutes of Health grant applications, including Program Project and T32 Training Grants focused on advancing lymphatic research and physician-scientist training.

CLEAR builds on Tampa General's growing national reputation in lymphedema treatment and innovation under the leadership of Dr. Nicholas J. Panetta, MD, FACS, who established the academic health system's Lymphedema Care Center and helped launch the first robotic surgical program for lymphedema treatment in the southeastern United States.

"Despite affecting millions of people worldwide, lymphatic diseases remain significantly underrecognized and underfunded relative to their impact on patients' lives," said Jerome Breslin, Ph.D., professor and Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Plastic Surgery at USF Health and key architect in collaboration with Dr. Panetta in developing the CLEAR initiative. "Our vision is to create a collaborative center that brings together clinicians, researchers, engineers, public health experts, educators and innovators to advance understanding of the lymphatic system and accelerate the development of new diagnostic tools and treatments."

Lymphedema is a chronic and progressive condition caused by disruption of the lymphatic system, often occurring after cancer treatment, surgery, infection or trauma. The disease can lead to painful swelling, impaired mobility, recurrent infections and significant impacts on quality of life. According to published research, up to one-third of breast cancer survivors who undergo axillary lymph node dissection may develop lymphedema, a chronic condition that can significantly affect quality of life. Although advanced microsurgical procedures can restore lymphatic function for some patients, access remains limited because these highly specialized operations require extensive supermicrosurgical expertise. The establishment of CLEAR reflects growing momentum in lymphatic research and care at Tampa General and USF Health. Dr. Breslin developed the proposal after receiving support through the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) LIGHT program, which seeks to improve lymphatic disease diagnosis and expand scientific understanding of the role lymphatics play across a range of diseases.

"This initiative represents the next evolution of what we've been building clinically at Tampa General," said Panetta, chief of the Plastic Surgery Institute at TGH and chair of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine Department of Plastic Surgery. "We've demonstrated that advanced lymphatic surgery and multidisciplinary care can meaningfully improve patients' lives. CLEAR will help connect that clinical expertise with world-class research and education efforts so we can continue expanding access to care, training the next generation of leaders and developing entirely new approaches to treating lymphatic disease."

The Center will support collaborations across multiple disciplines, including medicine, engineering, artificial intelligence, public health, business and education. Planned initiatives include expanding translational research efforts, developing new training opportunities for residents and fellows, pursuing federal research funding and increasing public awareness of lymphatic diseases and the importance of the lymphatic system in overall health.

Tampa General's existing Lymphedema Care Center already serves as a multidisciplinary center of excellence focused on cancer-related lymphedema management, offering comprehensive therapy, advanced imaging technologies and reconstructive surgical procedures. The program has also emerged as a national leader in robotic lymphatic surgery, including performing the first robotic lymphatic surgery in the southeastern United States and having recently completed its 100^th robotic microsurgical case. Additionally, with this grant, the TGH | USF Health Department of Plastic Surgery became the highest National Institutes of Health (NIH) research funded department of plastic surgery in the nation. 

CLEAR leaders say the long-term goal is to position the Tampa Bay region as a national hub for lymphatic science, clinical innovation and education.

ABOUT TAMPA GENERAL HOSPITAL
Tampa General Hospital, Florida's premier academic health system, is a 1,530-bed not-for-profit network of hospital and outpatient services spanning Florida. As the only center for Level l trauma and comprehensive burn care center serving 23 counties, Tampa General delivers world-class care. The system's hospitals include Tampa General Hospital, Tampa General Rehabilitation Hospital, Tampa General Behavioral Health Hospital, all in Tampa; Tampa General Brooksville, Tampa General Spring Hill and Tampa General Crystal River. Tampa General is the highest-ranked hospital in Tampa Bay in U.S. News & World Report's 2026-2027 Best Hospitals for 11 consecutive years, with five medical specialties ranking among the top 50, two additional medical specialties ranked among the top 100 best hospital programs and two specialties ranked in the top 10% in the United States. As the first hospital in Florida to open a clinical command center for real-time situational awareness, the academic health system has elevated its digital care coordination center to the next level by leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and its analytics platform across inpatient and outpatient care to ensure patients receive leading-edge care as quickly and safely as possible. Tampa General's commitment to growing and developing its team members is recognized by four prestigious Forbes magazine rankings — in the 2026 America's Best Large Employers, ranked as the Tampa Bay region's #1 employer in the healthcare category for the sixth year in a row, the 2026 America's Best Employers for Company Culture, in the top 100 for the 2026 America's Best Employers for New Grads and the 2026 America's Best Employers for Women.

Tampa General is the area's safety-net hospital, caring for anyone regardless of ability to pay; in fiscal year 2024, Tampa General provided a net community benefit of approximately $289.1 million in the form of healthcare for underinsured patients, community education and financial support to community health organizations in Tampa Bay. It is recognized as one of the leading adult solid organ transplant centers in the nation and is the primary teaching hospital for the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. With five medical helicopters, Tampa General transports critically injured or ill patients from surrounding counties to receive the advanced care their conditions require. Tampa General has a nationally accredited comprehensive stroke center and its 32-bed Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit is the largest on the West Coast of Florida. It is home to the Muma Children's Hospital at TGH, the Jennifer Leigh Muma 82-bed neonatal intensive care unit and a nationally accredited rehabilitation center. Tampa General's footprint includes TGH North, which consists of three hospitals and several outpatient locations in Citrus and Hernando counties; Tampa General Medical Group Primary Care offices; TGH Family Care Center Kennedy; TGH outpatient centers; TGH Virtual Health; and TGH Imaging outpatient radiology centers throughout Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas and Palm Beach counties. Tampa Bay area residents receive world-class care from the TGH Urgent Care, powered by the Fast Track network of clinics. To see a medical care professional live anytime, anywhere on a smartphone, tablet or computer, visit Virtual Health | Tampa General Hospital (tgh.org). For more information, go to www.tgh.org.

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SOURCE Tampa General Hospital