- UCBC joins elite group of centers to earn designation
- Among a select group of designated community-based programs
- Only community-based cancer center in Georgia to offer theranostics
- Designation reflects meeting rigorous clinical, regulatory, and quality standards
ATHENS, Ga., April 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — University Cancer & Blood Center (UCBC), a leading oncology and hematology practice in Northeast Georgia, today announced it has received designation as a Clinical Radiopharmaceutical Therapy Center of Excellence by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI).
With this designation, UCBC joins a select group of 37 programs nationwide recognized for delivering radiopharmaceutical therapies. Only a limited number of these centers operate in community-based practice settings, and UCBC is the first community-based cancer center in Georgia to offer theranostics outside of a hospital setting and only to earn SNMMI’s designation.
Radiopharmaceutical therapies — often referred to as theranostics — use targeted radioactive compounds to identify and treat disease at the cellular level. These therapies deliver radiation directly to cancer cells, damaging or destroying them from within, while minimizing impact on surrounding healthy tissue. Common treatments include thyroid and prostate cancers, neuroendocrine tumors, certain lymphomas, blood cancers, and bone metastases.
“Being named a Clinical Center of Excellence is something we’re truly proud of and places our practice among the very best in the country,” said Jamie M. Maurer, CEO. “We’ve got a special team here, and this recognition reflects the care, effort, and teamwork that goes into taking care of our patients every single day. It’s an honor to be recognized nationally while continuing to serve our community with the same dedication and high-quality care we have always provided.”
This designation affirms that UCBC has the training, personnel, equipment, and clinical experience required to safely and effectively deliver radiopharmaceutical therapies. SNMMI’s rigorous criteria require participating centers to demonstrate:
- A robust, multidisciplinary theranostics program with proven clinical experience.
- Strict adherence to safety, quality, and regulatory standards.
- The infrastructure and expertise to deliver complex radiopharmaceutical therapies.
- A commitment to ongoing education, research, and continuous improvement.
UCBC’s theranostics program is led by Director of Radiology Chris Tuttle and Gordon O. Schoenfeld, MD, founder of Athens Brain Center and a board-certified radiation oncologist, who has been with UCBC since 2007. The organization credits Dr. Schoenfeld’s vision and leadership as instrumental in achieving this recognition.
A proud partner practice in the OneOncology network, UCBC has served as Northeast Georgia’s leading cancer and hematology treatment center for more than 40 years. With a team of highly skilled physicians and clinicians — many of whom have trained or practiced at the nation’s leading cancer centers — UCBC offers patients access to advanced therapies, a robust clinical research program, and coordinated care across the full continuum of treatment options.
Through this designation, UCBC reinforces its commitment to delivering innovative, high-quality cancer care while expanding access to cutting-edge therapies in the communities it serves.
University Cancer & Blood Center has been Northeast Georgia’s leading cancer and hematology treatment center for over 40 years. Our highly skilled medical professionals, whose backgrounds include working at the nation’s leading cancer centers, provide every patient with the most advanced cancer care available in an atmosphere of care and compassion.
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SOURCE University Cancer & Blood Center
