(RxWiki News) "Making Cancer History" is the slogan for The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. While the slogan has a double meaning, the organization's new president is keenly focused on keeping that promise and making cancer a disease of the past.
Ronald DePinho, M.D., the newly appointed president of MD Anderson, says he believes - and expects - a cure for cancer to be found during his tenure. "And I will not fail," Dr. DePinho told a gathering during “A Conversation With a Living Legend” fundraiser in San Antonio, Texas.
"MD Anderson Cancer Center is ranked #1 for cancer care in the United States."
"Kicking cancer's butt" is the way Dr. DePinho describes his mission. And he says that today's advancing technologies will make it possible.
During a press conference before the event, he said, "The opportunity has never been greater to truly end this dreaded disease."
To this end, MD Anderson recently announced it is establishing the new Institute for Applied Cancer Science to speed the development of new drugs to treat cancer. He likened the new operation to an automobile manufacturing plant.
“We are going to take the happenstance out of the process of developing new cancer drugs," Dr. DePinho said. He adds the Institute will work closely with other institutions around the globe to coordinate research efforts, such as identifying promising therapies and running clinical trials.
Dr. DePinho moved to MD Anderson in September, 2011 after serving at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School in Boston for 14 years.
