Two researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle were recently awarded endowed chairs: Nancy E. Davidson, MD, FASCO, and Jerry Radich, MD.
Raisbeck Endowed Chair for Collaborative Research
Dr. Davidson was awarded the Raisbeck Endowed Chair for Collaborative Research at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center earlier this year. The new chair was created to facilitate collaboration between oncology researchers at Fred Hutch and the University of Washington. Seattle philanthropists James and Sherry Raisbeck presented the chair to Dr. Davidson at an event honoring the Raisbecks’ long history of support.
Dr. Davidson is Senior Vice President and Director of the Clinical Research Division at Fred Hutch. She is Professor and Head of the Division of Medical Oncology at the University of Washington School of Medicine. Dr. Davidson also serves as President and Executive Director at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance.
Endowed chair recipient Jerry Radich, MD (seated) with Christine and John Enslein; Fred Hutch President and Director Gary Gilliland, MD; Dorcas Dobie, MD, Dr. Radich’s wife; and Kate Enslein. Photo by Robert Hood/Fred Hutch News Service.
“I am thrilled to be the first recipient of this chair, which was made possible by two creative and innovative people, Sherry and James Raisbeck, who want to support creative and innovative research across [Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, the University of Washington, and Seattle Cancer Care Alliance],” said Dr. Davidson, who previously held the Endowed Chair for Breast Cancer Research at Fred Hutch. “This fund will make it possible to jump-start new cross-institutional initiatives to address our collective urgency to reduce the burden of cancer.”
Kurt Enslein Endowed Chair
A pioneering leukemia researcher, Dr. Radich was named the inaugural recipient of the Kurt Enslein Endowed Chair at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in August 2019. John and Christine Enslein presented the chair to Dr. Radich during an event held to highlight the Ensleins’ long history of support to the cancer center, which is deeply personal for the family, noted President and Director Gary Gilliland, MD. In April 1982, John Enslein received a bone marrow transplant at Fred Hutch and made a complete recovery after a diagnosis of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Their new endowed chair, which pays tribute to John Enslein’s father, Kurt, will help advance Dr. Radich’s research.
With their latest endowment, the Raisbecks became the first donors to endow three chairs at Fred Hutch. Seated: Raisbeck chairholders Nina Salama, MD; Nancy E. Davidson, MD, FASCO; and Sunil Hingorani, MD. Standing: Fred Hutch President and Director Gary Gilliland, MD; Sherry Raisbeck; Fred Hutch Senior Vice President and Deputy Director Fred Appelbaum, MD; and James Raisbeck. Photo by Robert Hood/Fred Hutch News Service.
“I am extremely grateful to the Ensleins for this fabulous gift to the Center and to leukemia patients,” Dr. Radich said. “This gift will allow us to work on new ideas to further improve CML outcomes, both here and in low-resource areas.”
Dr. Radich studies genes and other molecules that signal treatment response, disease progression, and relapse in patients with leukemia. He specializes in developing methods to improve the detection and treatment of chronic and acute myeloid leukemias.
Dr. Radich’s team was the first to map the genetic changes that occur during CML progression. He hopes this discovery will aid physicians in customizing treatment to a patient’s disease stage and spur development of potential new drugs. ■
