Officials at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital have announced the appointment of three physician-scientists to leadership positions.
Mitchell Weiss, MD, PhD, has been named Chair of the St. Jude Department of Hematology. He was recruited to the institution from the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, where he is currently Professor of Pediatrics and holds an endowed chair.
J. Paul Taylor, MD, PhD, who joined the St. Jude Department of Developmental Neurobiology in 2008, has been appointed Chair of the new St. Jude Department of Cell and Molecular Biology. He will also hold the Edward F. Barry Endowed Chair in Cell and Molecular Biology.
Kim Nichols, MD, has been selected to launch the new Division of Hereditary Cancer Predisposition in the St. Jude Department of Oncology. She currently directs the Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania Pediatric Hereditary Cancer Predisposition Program. She is also an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine.
“These gifted physician-scientists will enhance and expand our ability to translate discoveries and insight gained in the laboratory into clinical advances against diseases that continue to devastate children and families,” said William E. Evans, MD, St. Jude Director and Chief Executive Officer.
The announcement comes as St. Jude takes steps to broaden its basic and translational research programs and capitalize on its discoveries from the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital - Washington University Pediatric Cancer Genome Project, said James Downing, MD, St. Jude Scientific Director. ■
