President Joe Biden has appointed John Carpten to serve as chair of the administration’s National Cancer Advisory Board, which plays an important role in guiding the director of the National Cancer Institute in setting the course for the national cancer research program.

Carpten, the founding chair of translational genomics at the Keck School of Medicine of USC and founding director of the USC Institute of Translational Genomics, is an internationally recognized leader in cancer genomics and precision oncology. Precision oncology aims to provide patients with individually tailored medical treatment and drugs. Carpten is also a pioneer in investigating the biology behind disparities in cancer outcomes among populations.

“I am both honored and humbled to have been selected for a presidential appointment and given this tremendous responsibility by the White House. To chair the board that helps to set the national agenda for cancer research is incredibly exciting,” Carpten said.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I do not take it for granted. I plan to lead and serve with integrity and to embrace the challenges ahead while advancing innovation towards improvements in outcomes for cancer patients.”

Read the rest of the story on USC News, where it was published on Sept. 21, 2021. (Photo/Gus Ruelas)