Newswise — The Association of American Cancer Institutes (AACI) congratulates Anthony Letai, MD, PhD, on his confirmation this week as the 18th director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI).
Dr. Letai previously served as a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and as a medical oncologist at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. His research focuses on the mechanisms by which cancer cells evade death, and on the application of that knowledge to the selective killing of cancer cells. Dr. Letai’s laboratory work contributed to the development of venetoclax, a targeted oral cancer drug used to treat chronic lymphocytic leukemia and acute myeloid leukemia.
Following his swearing-in ceremony, Dr. Letai affirmed his commitment to collaborating with National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya MD, PhD, and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., “to identify cancer’s root causes, predictive biomarkers, and most effective treatments.”
As a professional organization representing over 100 leading academic cancer centers in the U.S. and Canada —including the 73 NCI-Designated Cancer Centers—AACI enjoys a longstanding relationship with the NIH and the NCI. We look forward to working closely with Dr. Letai to advance our mutual goals and accelerate progress against cancer.
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