Cancer Center Administration

Cancer Center Administration has continued to play a critical role in supporting the Center’s scientific goals during the last budget cycle of Wistar’s Cancer Center Support Grant (CCSG). Leveraging the Institute’s nimbleness and comprehensive, opportunity-driven decision-making, Cancer Center Administration has overseen the successful recruitment of ten new Cancer Center members, reconfiguration of research Programs, and expansion of technological capabilities in all Shared Resources. By objective metrics, this translated in sustained cancer-related ($12.4 million) and National Cancer Institute (NCI) funding ($8.9 million), an exceptional cancer focus (76%), a high rate of collaborative publications (40%), and multi-investigator funding (75%) across the three Cancer Center Programs. Complementing the growth of the internal research program, Cancer Center Administration supported a broad array of external collaborations and synergistic partnerships with all nine academic Institutions in the greater Philadelphia area. This involved graduate education with the University of Pennsylvania and the University of the Sciences, access to Wistar Shared Resources for Kimmel Cancer Center and Fox Chase Cancer Center members, undergraduate workforce development in cancer research and the life sciences in collaboration with the Community College of Philadelphia, and expansion of the collaborative landmark agreement with the Helen F Graham Cancer Center (HFGCC) for translational and patient-focused cancer research. Transformative changes that took place in Cancer Center Administration during the last CCSG budget cycle contributed to these accomplishments. These include the appointment of Dr. Altieri as Wistar President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), while retaining the position of Cancer Center Director, the recruitment of new research and administrative leaders (Drs. Weiner, Dang, Keith, Pepper and Steinman), and the reorganization of internal and external consultative and advisory committees. As a result, Cancer Center Administration functioned as an integrated and synergistic team, uniquely apt at supporting the Center’s overarching mission, prioritize its objectives through the launch of a comprehensive, 2015 Reimagining Wistar Strategic Plan and ensure the long-term financial sustainability of scientific and operational tasks. During the next CCSG budget cycle, Cancer Center Administration will continue to provide an integrated and science-focused infrastructure to expand the Center’s strategic goals in collaborative basic and translational cancer research, coordinate the input of multiple, non-overlapping advisory and consultative bodies, and promote inter-institutional partnerships in education and patient-focused cancer research.