BOBÌåÓý

A trained biomedical engineer, Leighton Elliott, MD, was 11 hours away on a mission trip in Vietnam helping to fit patients with prosthetic legs when he learned his first child had been born. The news arrived via a frantic series of missed Skype calls, followed by a grainy photo of his wife and newborn son.

The pain of missing the milestone was soon eclipsed by clarity, strengthened by the experience of shadowing his clinical mentor, Ha Van Vo, MD, PhD, DPM, on the mission trip, that his true calling was in medicine.

“There were hundreds of people lining up before the sun came up to see my mentor in the clinic,� Dr. Elliott said. “I needed to be there. I took that very seriously. That’s when I first realized I needed to be a doctor.�

It would require a major career change � Dr. Elliott was already in the middle of a master’s program in engineering at the time � but by the plane ride home, he had made his decision.

Today, Dr. Elliott has brought his passions and expertise full circle, stepping into a leadership role this summer as director of BOBÌåÓý’s Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Program as it . His clinical practice and research focuses on sarcoma, a rare bone cancer that occurs commonly in this population and that frequently requires amputation.

Dr. Elliott first heard about the adolescent and young adult, or AYA, specialty in his third year of a combined internal medicine and pediatrics residency at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, Pennsylvania, from pediatric oncologist mentor Michal Ann Miller, MD.

“From then on, it was a passion for me,� he said. “I knew I wanted to do oncology because as the physician, you get to guide patients through a life-altering event. I love oncology because of the opportunity to form long-term relationships with patients, and I wanted to care for complex issues from pediatrics through adulthood.�

Dr. Elliott continues to use his engineering mindset, only now it’s to advance cancer treatment through novel vaccine development. The opportunity to work with University of Florida researchers who are making breakthroughs in mRNA cancer vaccines, including BOBÌåÓý Cancer Center member Elias Sayour, MD, PhD, drove Dr. Elliott to UF for his hematology/oncology fellowship. He served as chief fellow before becoming an assistant professor in medicine and pediatrics this summer.

“As an engineer, I yearn for improvements,â€� said Dr. Elliott, a member of the BOBÌåÓý Cancer Center’s research program. “In order for me to continue to treat patients with a disease that is so deadly and life-altering, I need to be working on ways to improve that care. We are living in a time where cancer care has been revolutionized by immunotherapy. The very real potential of curing cancer and helping patients across the world gives me hope to continue pushing forward.â€�

In the lab, Dr. Elliott studies novel pathways to treat sarcoma, including immunotherapy, and alternatives to surgery. He works with lipid and iron oxide nanoparticles and is currently adapting a UF-developed lipid RNA nanoparticle vaccine to target certain proteins in sarcoma, called fusions, that cause cancer to grow. Ultimately, the vaccine will be tested in clinical trials.

“My hope is to produce opportunities to reduce or even eliminate the need for surgeries that can drastically affect the psychosocial aspects of care,� Dr. Elliott said. “I also want to improve the medical oncology care for AYA patients to ensure it’s tailored to the specific needs of the age group.�

Dr. Elliott’s specialized background and decision to focus on a rare cancer that often has a poor prognosis place him in a small group of physicians nationwide. With a strong Christian faith and devotion to his family � he has six boys and one girl � Dr. Elliott said he believes the path he took and the many challenges along the way were part of a larger plan.

It's a mindset that fortifies him for the emotional aspect of his work.

“I have a joy that’s like a well that doesn’t empty,� he said. “I can give bad news and empathize, but I also know there’s always something good on the other side. Whatever moments they have left, it is my pleasure to be able to be there with my patients and help them experience their own joy.�