Akash Patnaik, MD, PhD, MMSc and Justin Kline, MD were named Program Co-Leaders for The University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Center’s (UCCCC) Research Programs. The UCCCC Research programs are structured around cohesive, integrated themes, co-led by experienced researchers with complementary expertise who are empowered to promote collaborative research and develop new initiatives. These Program Leaders play an important role as advisors to Dr. Kunle Odunsi, UCCCC Director, and the Executive Committee on strategic priorities that move the Comprehensive Cancer Center forward.
CLINICAL & EXPERIMENAL THERAPEUTICS
Akash Patnaik, MD, PhD, MMSc, Associate Professor of Medicine, will join Wendy Stock, MD, Anjuli Seth Nayak Professor of Medicine, as Program Co-Leaders of the UCCCC Clinical and Experimental Therapeutics (CET) Program. Together, they are responsible for strengthening and growing the CET Program, which focuses on drug development at all phases of clinical testing and a strong pharmacogenomics component. The program fosters interaction between basic and clinical scientists for the development of innovative and effective therapies, including image-based approaches.
IMMUNOLOGY AND CANCER
Justin Kline, MD, Professor of Medicine, will join Tom Gajewski, MD, PhD, AbbVie Foundation Professor of Pathology and Medicine, as Program Co-Leaders of the UCCCC Immunology & Cancer (IC) Research Program. Together, they are responsible for strengthening and growing the IC Program, which aims to better understand the interaction between the host immune system and malignant tumors, and to manipulate that interaction to promote immune-mediated tumor destruction in patients with cancer. Advances in our understanding of the cellular mechanisms by which the immune system fails to spontaneously reject cancer from a more global perspective will allow for innovations in immune-based therapies as well as optimization of current strategies.