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Ian M. Thompson Jr., M.D., also a professor and chair of urology, is principal investigator of two large prostate cancer studies and a trustee of the American Board of Urology.
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SAN ANTONIO (August 13, 2010) — Ian M. Thompson Jr., M.D., professor and chair of urology at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and executive director of its Cancer Therapy & Research Center, was elected Aug. 13 as chair of the Early Detection Research Network (EDRN), an initiative of the National Cancer Institute.

Dr. Thompson said he is “very honored and pleased — it’s an enormous responsibility.”

“With virtually every cancer, the outcomes of its treatment depend on how early it’s detected,” Dr. Thompson said. “I think it’s one of the most important programs in the National Cancer Institute.”

The EDRN is a collaborative effort overseen by the National Cancer Institute’s Division of Cancer Prevention. It involves dozens of institutions working to improve early detection of cancers using the body’s own biomarkers, and it coordinates validation studies to determine whether a biomarker delivers on its early promise.

Dr. Thompson previously held the position of vice chair of the EDRN, running its executive committee. His leadership has been key in the committee’s reviews of validation studies, said EDRN program director Sudhir Srivastava, Ph.D., chief of NCI’s Cancer Biomarkers Research Group.

Dr. Thompson holds the Glenda and Gary Woods Distinguished Chair in Genitourinary Oncology at the UT Health Science Center. He serves as chairman of the Genitourinary Committee of the Southwest Oncology Group, one of the largest clinical trials organizations supported by the National Cancer Institute. Dr. Thompson also is principal investigator of two large prostate cancer studies and is a trustee of the American Board of Urology.

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The Cancer Therapy & Research Center (CTRC) at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio is one of the nation’s leading academic research and treatment centers, serving more than 4.4 million people in the high-growth corridor of Central and South Texas including Austin, San Antonio, Laredo and the Rio Grande Valley. CTRC is one of a few elite cancer centers in the country to be named a National Cancer Institute (NCI) Designated Cancer Center, and is one of only four in Texas. A world leader in developing new drugs to treat cancer, The CTRC Institute for Drug Development (IDD) is internationally recognized for conducting the largest oncology Phase I clinical drug trials program in the world, and participates in the clinical and/or preclinical development of many of the cancer drugs approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration. For more information, visit www.ctrc.net.