OHSU Hires Scientist to Head Cancer Research

Just months after wrapping up its billion-dollar Knight Cancer Challenge, the Knight Cancer Institute at Oregon Health Sciences University is starting to spend.

This morning they announced they had recruited not an oncologist, not an epidemiologist, not even a doctor - to head what they still be "the first large-scale early detection program of its kind."

Instead they turned to Sadik Esener, a PhD who has gained a reputation as a scientific engineer for his work in nanotechnology at places like the University of California San Diego and as the head of the Cancer Nanotechnology Center of Institute, funded by the National Cancer Institute.

His achievements include developing diagnostic biochips and creating nanoscale cancer-fhgting "smart bullets" that deliver treatments to tumor cells, according to OHSU.

He is tasked with recruiting between 20 and 30 scientists to bring their teams to the Knight Cancer Institute.

“Our goal requires that we completely reimagine early detection, so we were insistent on recruiting a leader with a track record in game-changing innovation,” said Dr. Brian Druker, the head of the Knight Cancer Institute.

In a release, Esener said that he was attracted by OHSU's commitment to bringing together people from different disciplines to attack the issue of early detection.

"My goal is to build a team that will leverage the pioneering work already underway at OHSU as well as the global collaborations it is developing to break ground in this area," said Esener.