Toronto (May 1, 2018) – Mr. Tom Closson, Chair of the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research’s (OICR) Board of Directors, today welcomed to the Institute Dr. Laszlo Radvanyi, OICR’s new President and Scientific Director. Radvanyi was selected after an extensive international search and has extensive oncology-related experience from his time spent in industry, with a particular focus in immuno-oncology. Radvanyi will work with the Ontario cancer research community, and OICR’s commercialization partner FACIT, to see that Ontario’s best innovations are reaching cancer patients as quickly as possible.

Radvanyi joins OICR from EMD Serono (Merck KGaA, Darmstadt Germany), where he was a Senior Vice President, Global Senior Scientific Advisor in Immunology and Immuno-Oncology. There he played a central scientific advisory role, facilitating major academic centre alliances and ran EMD Serono’s CAR T-cell program, in partnership with Intrexon. He also served as Global Head of the Immuno-Oncology Translational Innovation Platform, where he was instrumental in rebuilding immuno-oncology research at the company, hiring new world-class scientific staff, as well as pruning and re-orienting the discovery pipeline.

Radvanyi was born and raised in Toronto and obtained a PhD in Clinical Biochemistry from the University of Toronto in 1996.

“Laszlo brings a strong oncology research background as well as leadership experience in international pharma and small biotech, making him an ideal leader for OICR,” said Closson. “We are enthusiastic about his vision for the Insitute and for cancer research and are pleased to welcome Laszlo back to Ontario after his many successes working abroad.”

“I am excited by the international reputation OICR has for scientific excellence in translational cancer research and the opportunity to achieve impact for cancer patients globally, while also working with OICR’s commercialization partner FACIT to achieve economic growth in Ontario across its diverse programs,” said Radvanyi. “I am looking forward to engaging with the Institute and the Ontario cancer research community as I get to know the inner workings and capabilities of OICR.”

On behalf of the OICR Board of Directors, Closson thanked outgoing President Mr. Peter Goodhand for stellar work providing critical leadership for the Institute over the last two years.

For more information see: https://oicr.on.ca/2018/03/oicr-names-dr-laszlo-radvanyi-as-new-president-and-scientific-director/