Cancer Research Institute Names New Members to Scientific Advisory Council

NEW YORK, Sept. 10, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The Cancer Research Institute (CRI), a New York-based nonprofit organization committed to developing immune system-based cancer treatments, named 21 new members to its Scientific Advisory Council. During CRI's 60-year history, council members have shaped the direction of cancer immunology research by guiding Cancer Research Institute's research funding strategies.

In the 2013 fiscal year, the council led Cancer Research Institute in creating funding and research priorities for the distribution of its $14.6 million in grants and fellowships. The work of council members has played a significant role in securing CRI's position as the leader in cancer immunology.

"We are incredibly fortunate to have leading scientists and clinicians willing to give their time to advance cancer immunotherapy treatment worldwide," said Jill O'Donnell-Tormey, CEO and director of scientific affairs at the Cancer Research Institute. "Having them available to guide funding to the most promising research is invaluable."

The council is made up of 68 of the world's top immunologists and tumor immunologists, and is led by immunologist James P. Allison, Ph.D., whose pioneering discoveries about immune system regulation made possible powerful new therapeutic strategies that boost and sustain anti-cancer immune responses. Among those currently serving on the Scientific Advisory Council are three Nobel laureates and 27 members of the National Academy of Sciences.

A complete list of the new members, listed alphabetically, follows:

For more information about CRI's Scientific Advisory Council or a full list of current members, visit www.cancerresearch.org/about/scientific-advisory-council. To learn about Cancer Research Institute, its mission and the research it supports, go to www.cancerresearch.org.

About the Cancer Research Institute

The Cancer Research Institute (CRI), established in 1953, is the world's only nonprofit organization dedicated exclusively to transforming cancer patient care by advancing scientific efforts to develop new and effective immune system-based strategies to prevent, diagnose, treat, and eventually cure all cancers. Guided by a world-renowned Scientific Advisory Council that includes three Nobel laureates and 27 members of the National Academy of Sciences, CRI has invested $263 million in support of research conducted by immunologists and tumor immunologists at the world's leading medical centers and universities, and has contributed to many of the key scientific advances that demonstrate the potential for immunotherapy to change the face of cancer treatment. To learn more, go to www.cancerresearch.org.

SOURCE Cancer Research Institute