City of Hope appoints David W. Craig, Ph.D., as founding chair of its new Department of Integrative Translational Sciences within its Beckman Research Institute

Effective June 30, Craig will also hold the titles deputy director of translational sciences at Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope and associate director of data science for the comprehensive cancer center

LOS ANGELES, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- City of Hope, one of the largest cancer research and treatment organizations in the United States and a leading research center for diabetes and other life-threatening illnesses, today announced that effective June 30, David W. Craig, Ph.D., will be professor and founding chair of its newly created Department of Integrative Translational Sciences within Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope. Craig also will serve as deputy director of translational sciences at Beckman Research Institute and associate director of data science for City of Hope's National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center in Los Angeles, which is the basic and clinical research innovation hub for its national cancer system.

"Over the past two decades, Dr. Craig has collaborated with different parts of City of Hope's national cancer system and has authored seminal papers in genomics, bioinformatics and data privacy that have fundamentally pushed these respective fields forward," said Michael A. Caligiuri, M.D., president of City of Hope National Medical Center and the Deana and Steve Campbell Physician-in-Chief Distinguished Chair. "We are excited to welcome Dr. Craig to City of Hope and look forward to his leadership in translational research that will contribute to innovative, personalized treatment for City of Hope patients throughout the United States."

The new Department of Integrative Translational Sciences will focus on precision measurement, data science and diversity. It will seek to further improve both translational outcomes as well as the science underpinning the use of precision medicine.

Craig will lead the establishment of a transdisciplinary team of biologists and data scientists who will work with engineers, biologists, chemists and clinicians across the system to enhance City of Hope's patient-centered mission. He also will collaborate with regulatory agencies, industry partners, researchers and health care professionals to integrate scientific findings and translate potentially practice-changing discoveries into improved patient care and human health.

Over the past 15 years, Craig's lab has developed experimental and computational tools that bridge engineering, biotechnology and clinical care interfaces. Craig has spearheaded collaborative computational and data science efforts within large and small research consortiums, including the 1000 Genomes Project and the Bipolar Genome Study. His exceptional expertise has resulted in more than 200 publications, four patents and two founded companies.

"I am eager to work with the exceptional leadership, faculty and staff at City of Hope to build upon our pioneering work in genomics and precision medicine. I look forward to translating unique insights from large datasets into actionable strategies in the clinic," Craig said. "At City of Hope, we will continue to enhance our ability to work across departments to make data-driven decisions and, ultimately, advance City of Hope's mission to build bridges that fast-track the development of lifesaving therapies."

City of Hope is known for its integrated ecosystem that nurtures entrepreneurial thinking and enables flexibility and resources for discovery, development, testing and delivery of next-generation treatments.

Craig joins City of Hope from the University of Southern California, where he was co-director of the Institute of Translational Genomics and vice chair of the Department of Translational Genomics at Keck School of Medicine of USC. He served as the director of the Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center Molecular Genomics Core and created their translational biomedical informatics master's degree program.

Prior to USC, Craig served as the deputy director of bioinformatics at Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), was director of its Neurogenomics division and co-founded a leading-edge genome and whole exome sequencing laboratory that is now integral to City of Hope's precision medicine program. TGen, a part of City of Hope, provides breakthrough genomics research, fully leveraged to provide highly specialized care and precision medicine treatment to City of Hope patients across its clinical care network.

Craig earned his doctorate from the University of Washington, where he focused on bioengineering.

About City of Hope
City of Hope's mission is to deliver the cures of tomorrow to the people who need them today. Founded in 1913, City of Hope has grown into one of the largest cancer research and treatment organizations in the U.S. and one of the leading research centers for diabetes and other life-threatening illnesses. City of Hope research has been the basis for numerous breakthrough cancer medicines, as well as human synthetic insulin and monoclonal antibodies. With an independent, National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center at its core, City of Hope brings a uniquely integrated model to patients spanning cancer care, research and development, academics and training, and innovation initiatives. City of Hope's growing national system includes its Los Angeles campus, a network of clinical care locations across Southern California, a new cancer center in Orange County, California, and treatment facilities in Atlanta, Chicago and Phoenix. City of Hope's affiliated group of organizations includes Translational Genomics Research Institute and AccessHope™. For more information about City of Hope, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and LinkedIn.

SOURCE City Of Hope