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The Research Leadership Council (RLC) is responsible for the coordination of Huntsman Cancer Institute's research portfolio and is accountable for the execution of Cancer Center goals. The RLC is chaired by Neli Ulrich, MS, PhD, and includes all Program Leaders, staff investigators, shared resource directors, Protocol Review and Monitoring System and Data and Safety Monitoring Committee chairs, senior administrators, and leaders of Huntsman Cancer Institute centers and partners. This group serves as the core leadership of the Cancer Center, participates actively in strategic planning for research initiatives, and evaluates programs, shared resources, and membership.

These programs are organized as part of a federally funded grant (NIH/NCI P30CA042014) in alignment with the requirements of our National Cancer Institute Cancer Center Support Grant accreditation.

New applications for Cancer Center membership are presented by a relevant Program Leader and put forward for an advisory vote by RLC members based on specific membership criteria. Dr. Ulrich makes final decisions on Cancer Center membership. The RLC meets monthly for two hours.

The RLC is composed of the following people:

Chair

Cornelia Ulrich, MS, PhD

Executive Director, Comprehensive Cancer Center

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Deputy Director

Theresa Werner, MD

Deputy Director, Comprehensive Cancer Center

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Senior Directors

Neeraj Agarwal, MD

Clinical Research

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Donald E. Ayer, PhD

Co-Director, Cancer Research Training and Education Coordination

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Rachel Ceballos, PhD

Community Outreach and Engagement

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Max Loveless, MBA

Senior Administrative Director

Martin McMahon, PhD

Preclinical Translation

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Tracy Onega, PhD, MS

Population Sciences

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Gita Suneja, MD, MS

Programs to Enhance Diversity

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Aik Choon Tan, PhD

Data Science

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Katharine Ullman, PhD

Co-Director, Cancer Research Training and Education Coordination

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Alana Welm, PhD

Basic Science

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David Wetter, PhD, MS

Cancer Health Equity Science

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Program Co-Leaders

Jay Gertz, PhD

Nuclear Control of Cell Growth and Differentiation

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Jared P. Rutter, PhD

Nuclear Control of Cell Growth and Differentiation

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Shannon Buckley, PhD

Cell Response and Regulation

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Sheri L. Holmen, PhD

Cell Response and Regulation

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Howard Colman, MD, PhD

Experimental Therapeutics

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Martin McMahon, PhD

Experimental Therapeutics

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Jennifer Doherty, MS, PhD

Cancer Control and Population Sciences

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Kimberly Kaphingst, ScD

Cancer Control and Population Sciences

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Kathleen Mooney, PhD, RN

Cancer Control and Population Sciences

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Clinical Leaders

Wallace L. Akerley, MD

Chair, Protocol Review and Monitoring Committee

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Howard Colman, MD, PhD

Vice-Chair, Protocol Review and Monitoring Committee

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Vaia Florou, MD, MS

Associate Director, Phase 1 Clinical Trials Program

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Ignacio Garrido-Laguna, MD, PhD, MBA

Director, Phase 1 Clinical Trials Program

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Heloisa P. Soares, MD, PhD

Medical Director, Clinical Trials Office

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Paul J. Shami, MD

Chair, Data and Safety Monitoring

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Shared Resource Directors

Kenneth M. Boucher, PhD

Cancer Biostatistics

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Ann Chen, PhD

Cancer Biostatistics

Nicola Camp, PhD

Utah Population Database

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Brian Dalley, PhD

High-Throughput Genomics and Cancer Bioinformatics

Whitney Espinel, MS, CGC

Genetic Counseling

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Christopher Fillmore, PhD

Biorepository and Molecular Pathology

Kimberly Kaphingst, ScD

Research Director, Genetic Counseling

David H. Lum, PhD

Preclinical Research Resource

David A. Nix, PhD

High-Throughput Genomics and Cancer Bioinformatics

Andrew Post, MD, PhD

Research Informatics

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Staff Investigators

Jennifer Doherty, MS, PhD

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Administration

Kris Frisby

Associate Director of Basic Science and Research Administration

Max Loveless, MBA

Administrative Officer, Cancer Center Support Grant Administrator

Jessica Moehle, CCRP

Senior Clinical Research Administrative Director

Emily Olsen

Senior Administrative Manager, Disease Centers

Melanie Ward

Associate Director, Cancer Center Support Grant Associate Administrator

Holly Zullo, PhD

Director of Research Development

Centers and Partners

Center for Cancer Genetics

Center for Health Outcomes and Population Equity (HOPE)

Center for Investigational Therapeutics

Center for Patient and Public Education

Donna M. Branson
Director

Center for Quantitative Cancer Imaging

Children’s and Adolescent Cancer Initiative/Division of Pediatric Hematology

Michael Pulsipher, MD
Director/Chief

Computational Oncology Research Initiative (CORI)

Department of Radiation Oncology

Division of Hematology and Hematological Malignancies

Division of Oncology

Huntsman Alliance for Postdocs (HAP)

Kate Warde, PhD
Representative

Programs to Enhance Diversity

Gita Suneja, MD, MS
Senior Director