» Obama to appoint UMMS alum to National Cancer Advisory Board
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Obama to appoint UMMS alum to National Cancer Advisory Board whouse

 William Sellers
William Sellers, MD
President Barack Obama announced his intent to appoint a number of advisors to administration posts, including UMass Medical School graduate William Sellers, MD, as a member of the National Cancer Advisory Board. In making the appointments, Obama said, “These dedicated individuals bring a wealth of experience and talent to their new roles and I am proud to have them serve in this administration. I look forward to working with them in the months and years to come.”

Members of the National Cancer Advisory Board advise the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Director of the National Cancer Institute with respect to the activities of the Institute, including reviewing and recommending support grants and cooperative agreements following technical and scientific peer review.

Dr. Sellers is currently vice president and global head of oncology for the Novartis Institutes of BioMedical Research, where he oversees small molecule and antibody-based drug discovery efforts in oncology. Sellers was formerly the principal investigator at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. He was also an associate member of the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT.

Sellers has received research funding from a number of organizations including the National Cancer Institute, the Damon-Runyon Cancer Research Foundation and the Prostate Cancer Research Foundation. His research has been recognized with the Abbott Bioresearch Award, the Tisch Family Outstanding Investigator Award and the National Institutes of Health Physician-Scientist Award. He currently serves on the Scientific Advisory Board of the Caring for Carcinoid Foundation, and on the Scientific Advisory Board of Mt. Sinai Medical Center. Sellers has a bachelor’s degree in biology from Georgetown University and earned his medical degree from the University of Massachusetts Medical School in 1986.