SENIOR LEADERSHIP

Emory University, Atlanta GA

Investigators

Linked publications, trials & patents

Abstract

7.1 Senior Leadership of the Winship Cancer Institute Director of the Winship Cancer Institute and Associate Vice-President for the Woodruff Health Sciences Center: Brian Leyland-Jones, MD, PhD Dr. Leyland-Jones was appointed Director of Emory's Winship Cancer Institute (WCI) and Associate Director of the Woodruff Health Sciences Center (WHSC) effective January 1, 2007. He is eminently well-qualified to serve as WCI Director. A Medical Oncologist who specializes in breast cancer treatment, with a Ph.D. in Molecular Pharmacology, Dr. Leyland-Jones is a translational physician-scientist who is internationally recognized for his work in individualized cancer therapies and development of novel clinical trials. Prior to his appointment, Dr. Leyland- Jones was the Minda de Gunzberg Chair in Oncology and Professor of Medicine at McGill University in Montreal, Canada. From 1990 to 2000, he served as founding Chair of Oncology and Director of the McGill University Comprehensive Cancer Centre. From 1983-89 he was Head, Developmental Chemotherapy Section in the Investigational Drug Branch, Division of Cancer Treatment, at the National Cancer Institute. Dr. Leyland-Jones'capacity to lead the efforts at the Winship Cancer Institute is demonstrated through his prior senior positions and experiences as a premier translational scientist. During his tenure as Director of the McGill Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Dr. Leyland-Jones led development of a clinical trials operation that integrated research with five clinical trial cooperative groups and more than 40 pharmaceutical companies. Under Dr. Leyland-Jones'direction, cancer-related clinical trials at McGill included more than 100 protocols at any one time and were structured through nine multidisciplinary disease sections throughout the Cancer Centre. During his time with the NCI, he was responsible for the overall development of approximately 70 anti-cancer compounds in various stages of transition from in vitro screening to Phase III clinical trials. His expertise in pharmacogenetics in oncology clinical trials and biomarker endpoints in Phase l/ll anti-cancer agents underscores his superb background to lead the WCI and its scientific programs and shared core resources in this pursuit of NCI designation as a cancer center. In his role as Director of the Winship Cancer Institute, Dr. Leyland-Jones provides overall leadership of the WCI, its scientific programs, its shared core resources, its organization, and its administration. Dr. Leyland-Jones represents the WCI on strategic planning and leadership committees within the Woodruff Health Sciences Center and on the School of Medicine's Council of Chairs. The Authority of the Director is described in considerable detail in the previous section. Dr. Leyland-Jones controls the space, facilities, allocation of fundraising, budget, and other resources of the Winship Cancer Institute. Jointly with individual Department Chairs, he has the ability to recruit new faculty to Emory University, and with the Membership Committee he oversees membership in the WCI. As Director of a matrix Center, Dr. Leyland- Jones interacts closely with other Deans and Department Chairs in the Schools of Medicine, Nursing, and Public Health in the Woodruff Health Sciences Center and in Emory College. He also represents the WCI in collaborations with our community partners, including the American Cancer Society, CDC, Georgia Cancer Coalition, Georgia Research Alliance, Georgia Institute for Technology, Morehouse School of Medicine, GA-CORE, and other institutions throughout Georgia. Dr. Leyland-Jones provides the interface with the National Cancer Institute, with the national and local media, and with patient advocacy organizations and foundations. Dr. Leyland-Jones is committed full-time to his role as WCI Director and as Principal Investigator for the CCSG, but only 25% of his effort is supported by the CCSG budget. He will provide senior leadership, oversight, strategic planning, and on-going evaluation of progress towards meeting established goals and objectives during the course of the project period.