STAMFORD, Conn., November 19, 2020 — Alliance for Cancer Cell and Gene Therapy (ACGT) announces that Michael T. Lotze, MD, immunologist at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center and professor of surgery, immunology and bioengineering at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. has been named chair of the prestigious ACGT Scientific Advisory Council.
Founded by Edward and Barbara Netter in 2001, ACGT has long been the only non-profit specifically focused on funding cancer cell and gene therapies and instrumental in some of the decade’s most transformative research, including breakthroughs in the use of CAR T-cell gene therapy for leukemia. Highly regarded as a leader in modern immunotherapy, cell therapy and gene therapy, Dr. Lotze became a member of ACGT’s Scientific Advisory Council in 2003.
“Since the day it was founded, ACGT has been committed to achieving a better understanding of cancer biology and immunology, translating that understanding into game-changing clinical therapies,” says Dr. Lotze. “The advances that have been supported by ACGT are ushering in a whole new era of cancer therapies — safer, more effective, and with long-term benefits.”
The importance and value that the ACGT Scientific Advisory Council contributes to the funding process distinguishes ACGT from many other funding agencies. Research selected for funding by ACGT is rigorously reviewed and monitored by the Council. Its 14 conscientious and committed members are widely regarded as among the most accomplished thought-leaders in the field of cancer cell and gene therapy, and instrumental in guiding the organization in its mission. They are experienced scientists whose decades of research and patient care have elevated them into important leadership positions at top institutions across the U.S. and in Canada. Collectively, their distinguished track records include publication of nearly 5,000 original, peer-reviewed articles in MEDLINE-indexed scientific journals.
Preceding Dr. Lotze was Joseph Glorioso, III, PhD, of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics. Dr. Glorioso served as ACGT Scientific Advisory Council chair from 2015 to 2020 and will continue to serve as a Council member-at-large. The Council’s first chair was founding member Savio L.C. Woo, PhD, who is retired from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai New York.
Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy (ACGT)
For 20 years, ACGT has funded research that is bringing innovative treatment options to people living with deadly cancers — treatments that save lives and offer new hope to all cancer patients. ACGT funds researchers who are pioneering the potential of cancer cell and gene therapy — talented visionaries whose scientific advancements are driving the development of groundbreaking treatments for ovarian, prostate, sarcoma, glioblastoma, melanoma and pancreatic cancers. 100% of all public funds raised by ACGT directly support research. For more information, call 203-358-5055, or join the ACGT community on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
About the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
As one of the nation’s leading academic centers for biomedical research, the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine integrates advanced technology with basic science across a broad range of disciplines in a continuous quest to harness the power of new knowledge and improve the human condition. Driven mainly by the School of Medicine and its affiliates, Pitt has ranked among the top 10 recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health since 1998. In rankings recently released by the National Science Foundation, Pitt ranked fifth among all American universities in total federal science and engineering research and development support.
Likewise, the School of Medicine is equally committed to advancing the quality and strength of its medical and graduate education programs, for which it is recognized as an innovative leader, and to training highly skilled, compassionate clinicians and creative scientists well-equipped to engage in world-class research. The School of Medicine is the academic partner of UPMC, which has collaborated with the University to raise the standard of medical excellence in Pittsburgh and to position health care as a driving force behind the region’s economy. For more information about the School of Medicine, see www.medschool.pitt.edu or Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
