Staff News at CCR
Announcements
William Dahut, M.D. (Photo: B.Branson)
William Dahut, M.D.
Dahut has been named a CCR Deputy Director. He received his M.D. from Georgetown University and completed clinical training in internal medicine at the National Naval Medical Center. He completed a fellowship in hematology/oncology at the former NCI-Navy Medical Oncology Branch. He returned to NCI in 1998 as Head of the Prostate Cancer Clinic, and in 2009, he was appointed CCR Clinical Director, a role which he will retain as deputy director. Dahut is a leader in the development of novel therapeutic strategies for the treatment of adenocarcinoma of the prostate.
Tom Misteli, Ph.D. (Photo: R. Baer)
Tom Misteli, Ph.D.
Misteli has been named CCR Associate Director for Scientific Development. He is a Senior Investigator in the Laboratory of Receptor Biology and Gene Expression. He trained at the University of London, U.K., and the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, N.Y. He is internationally recognized for his studies in cell biology of genomes and gene expression in living cells. In his new role, Misteli will guide CCR in enhancing its strategic vision and in identifying high-priority, transformative, and novel scientific opportunities.
New Tenure-Track Scientists
Piyush Agarwal, M.D. (Photo: B. Branson)
Piyush Agarwal, M.D.
Agarwal joins CCR’s Urologic Oncology Branch as a tenure-track investigator and Head of the Bladder Cancer Section. Although he researches all aspects of bladder cancer, his work focuses on BCG-refractory disease and molecularly targeted therapy. As a surgeon, he focuses on minimally invasive surgical techniques.
James Hodge, Ph.D. (Photo: B. Branson)
James Hodge, Ph.D.
Hodge is now a tenure-track investigator in CCR’s Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Biology, where he is Head of the Recombinant Vaccine Group. He has made significant contributions to the design and development of novel recombinant vaccines and vaccine strategies for cancer immunotherapy, including recombinant vectors to deliver tumor antigens, the use of costimulation to enhance antitumor T cell responses, the use of whole tumor cell vaccines, and the use of diversified prime and boost strategies to enhance antitumor immunity.
Damien Kovalovsky, Ph.D. (Photo: B. Branson)
Damien Kovalovsky, Ph.D.
Kovalovsky joins CCR’s Experimental Immunology Branch. Kovalovsky’s current research focuses on understanding the genetic control of effector and regulatory differentiation in lymphocytes.
Vanja Lazarevic, Ph.D. (Photo: B. Branson)
Vanja Lazarevic, Ph.D.
Lazarevic joins CCR’s Experimental Immunology Branch. Lazarevic’s laboratory focuses on understanding at a fundamental level the transcription factors responsible for maintaining self-tolerance.
Newly Tenured CCR Scientist
Philip Tofilon, Ph.D.
Radiation Oncology Branch