At age 67, Bob Floyd, Ph.D., isn’t slowing down.
Some would be content to leave work behind and pursue a pastime—like singing, which Floyd does with the All Souls Episcopal Church choir. It’s a hobby he cherishes, though it does require devotion and focus.
But then again, when you’re the head of the Experimental Therapeutics Research Laboratory at OMRF, devotion and focus are daily necessities.
“One would think that it is time to retire and slow down, but I am not,” he said. “I’m in at 7 a.m. every day, including weekends, and enjoying every minute of trying to accomplish our goals.”
Even now, after more than 30 years at OMRF, Floyd said he’s always looking for something new to delve into. “I want to be in there, pushing the boundaries of what we know. I’ve always been attracted to the problems that seem to be at the edge of our knowledge.”
In Experimental Therapeutics, Floyd focuses on translational science—taking discoveries in the lab and turning them into treatments for patients.
In the lab, Floyd focuses on cancer research (more on page 4), and he takes no chances with his own health. In addition to keeping his mind strong with plenty of mental exercises, he spends time at the gym, working out. He also works hard at eating right and takes supplements to augment his diet.
“I’m lucky, because exercise seems to keep my blood pressure in check and helps me keep my weight down.”
While cancer treatment and the odds for surviving it have improved through the years, much remains to be learned, because lives hang in the balance. OMRF scientists like Floyd and others on the following pages are making headway against cancer every day. And that is something worth singing about.
