Pancreatic Cancer Research Team uses global network to conduct
innovative clinical trials
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - Aug. 31, 2011 - Dr. Ramesh K. Ramanathan is
the new Chairman of the Executive Board of the international
Pancreatic Cancer Research Team (PCRT).
Dr. Ramanathan is Clinical Professor and Deputy Director of the
Clinical Translational Research Division of the Translational
Genomics Research Institute (TGen). He also is Medical Director of
the Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center Clinical Trials at Scottsdale
Healthcare, a partnership between TGen and Scottsdale
Healthcare.
PCRT is an international network of clinical trials sites
organized under TGen Drug Development (TD2), a TGen
subsidiary. PCRT represents a consortium of 45 highly
experienced investigators and clinics from both academic institutes
and private groups from across the U.S. and Europe dedicated to
finding a cure for pancreatic cancer, which kills more than 36,000
people in the U.S. and is the 4th leading cause of cancer
death in the U.S. and the United Kingdom. Worldwide, an
estimated 278,000 patients are diagnosed annually.
One of the first studies done by PCRT pioneered the combination of
gemcitabine and nab paclitaxel for pancreatic cancer, treatment
that now is being evaluated in an international phase III clinical
trial.
"PCRT is now more than 8 years old and is growing and becoming a
major force for pancreatic cancer treatment across the nation and
across the globe, especially as we branch into Europe," Dr.
Ramanathan said. "I'm honored to continue the pioneering work done
by Dr. Daniel Von Hoff, TGen's Physician-In-Chief, in setting up
this organization, and by Dr. Manuel Hildago, the past
chairman."
Other elected members of the PCRT Executive Board are:
- Dr. Tom Dragovich, Board Vice Chairman, Arizona Cancer Center at the University of Arizona, Tucson, Ariz.
- Dr. Daniel Von Hoff, TGen and Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center Clinical Trials, Scottsdale, Ariz.
- Dr. Manuel Hidalgo, Centro Nacional Integral de Oncologia "Clara Campal," Madrid, Spain.
- Dr. Vincent Picozzi, Virginia Mason Cancer Center, Seattle, Wash.
- Dr. John Crowley, Cancer Research and Biostatistics, Seattle, Wash.
- Dr. Jim Moser, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pa
- Dr. Tim Sieloff, Virginia G. Piper Cancer Institute, Minneapolis, Minn.
- Dr. Mitesh Borad, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale, Ariz.
