Former Rice President Appointed to Cancer Research Grant Committee

Malcolm Gillis Appointed to Cancer Research Grant Committee

Governor Rick Perry appointed Malcolm Gillis, former president of Rice University and current economics professor, to Texas' Cancer Prevention and Research Institute Oversight Committee last week, the state's governor. Formed in November after a statewide vote made it possible, the institute's purpose is to allocate $3 billion in cancer research grants across the entire nation.

"I wouldn't have signed up if it had been just Texas researchers. This proves that we can compete with anybody on equal footing," Gillis said.

The committee will eventually consist of 11 advisors and is responsible for deciding who should be the institute's leader, as well as setting and monitoring its goals. The first meeting of the committee is scheduled in a few months and the process of structuring the organization will start immediately.

"It could take us a year to find a director for the institute because we want a first-rate scientist with management capabilities," Gillis continued. The person chosen will be in charge of directing the organization once it is set up.

Gillis earned himself a spot on the short list for committee members with his involvement in promoting research in biotechnology, infotechnology and nanotechnology. The convergence of these technologies is what he calls one of his greatest achievements in recent memory.

Gillis also has related experience, specifically his role in establishing the Texas/United Kingdom Collaborative Research Initiative, which is a group that connects the United Kingdom and Texas universities and medical centers. With both of his projects, Gillis hopes to keep young and talented engineers in the state of Texas while providing researchers with the tools that they need.

"My personal goal for the Cancer Institute is to make sure that we find, identify and fund the most promising treatments for cancer that are available," he said.

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