Michael J. Wick, Ph.D., a recognized leader in the research of new anti-cancer drugs, has been named director of preclinical research at South Texas Accelerated Research Therapeutics (START). He will join the START team on Sept. 3.
Dr. Wick comes to START from the Cancer Therapy & Research Center’s (CTRC) Institute for Drug Development, where he was director of preclinical research. He is a recognized expert in the testing of novel therapies in animal models of human cancer.
START, a clinical research organization focused on developing new anti-cancer drugs, is headed by world-renowned phase 1 trials investigator Dr. Anthony Tolcher, who was director of clinical research at CTRC before joining START in April as director of clinical research.
“Michael Wick brings an impressive track record of achievement to our cancer drug research team,” Dr. Tolcher said. “His stature among the most respected oncology researchers in drug development further establishes this organization as one of the world’s premier sites for development of innovative oncology drugs. We’re delighted to have Dr. Wick on board.”
In addition to Tolcher and Wick, START recently announced that Chris H.M. Takimoto, M.D., Ph.D., has joined START as director of pharmacology. Takimoto had previously served as director of pharmacology and as Zachry Chair of Translational Research at the CTRC’s Institute for Drug Development.
Dr. Wick also is an instructor in the department of pharmacology at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA).
He completed his undergraduate work in chemistry and biochemistry at the University of Texas at Austin, and a doctorate in molecular pharmacology at UTHSCSA. His post-graduate work was completed at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. In addition to preclinical cancer research, Dr. Wick’s other research interests include molecular oncology, diabetes and aging, to name just a few.
Dr. Wick’s research has been featured in a number of leading scientific journals, including the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, one of the world’s most-cited multidisciplinary scientific serials; the Journal of Biological Chemistry; and the Journal of Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, among others.
He has had presentations at the American Association for Cancer Research annual conference, the American Diabetes Association annual conference, and several UTHSCSA Department of Pharmacology symposia. In addition, Dr. Wick has lectured at the National Institutes of Health.
START is affiliated with South Texas Oncology & Hematology, which has offices in several locations in the San Antonio area, and is building a 120,000-square-foot, comprehensive cancer center in San Antonio’s South Texas Medical Center.
STOH will occupy 90,000 square feet of the new building, scheduled to open in July 2008 at the intersection of Medical and Ewing Halsell Drives. START will occupy 20,000 square feet. A radiology center will have about 10,000 square feet of space. The center also will feature a 660-space parking garage.
STOH and START physicians are known worldwide for their extensive experience in Phase I clinical trials, including trials of many of the leading cancer drugs on the market. Their numerous ongoing research affiliations include their work with the Pancreatic Cancer Research Team, which also involves world-class institutions such as the Mayo Clinic, Johns Hopkins University, Translational Oncology Research International (TORI, associated with Dennis Slamon and others at the University of California at Los Angeles), the Sarah Cannon Cancer Center in Nashville, Tenn., and Translational Genomics (TGEN) in Phoenix, Ariz.
More information about South Texas Accelerated Research Therapeutics is available at www.startthecure.com. More information about South Texas Oncology & Hematology is available at www.stoh.com/.
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