Perry Nisen, MD, PhD, to Retire as CEO of Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute

LA JOLLA, Calif., Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Board of Trustees at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute (SBP) today announced its chief executive officer, Perry Nisen, MD, PhD, is retiring effective September 30, 2017. Current SBP president, Kristiina Vuori, MD, PhD, will be interim CEO upon the departure of Dr. Nisen. Dr. Vuori has been SBP's president since 2010 and a faculty member for more than 20 years. 

"The Board is very appreciative of the progress that Dr. Nisen has brought to the Institute during his three-year tenure as CEO," said Hank Nordhoff, chairman of the SBP Board. "During that time, there have been significant increases for high-caliber grant funding and scientific publications, while at the same time increasing SBP's efforts for translational medicine research."

"It has been my great pleasure and honor over the past three years to work with terrific faculty and personnel, and to witness the exciting work that is being conducted at SBP," said Dr. Nisen. "Together with the Board and Management Team, I developed and began implementation on the strategy to leverage the outstanding science at the Institute and translate it into new medicines for patients with unmet needs. I'm confident Dr. Vuori and the SBP faculty and staff are well positioned to deliver on this strategy and vision."

Under the leadership of Drs. Nisen and Vuori, SBP has focused its efforts on the most pressing unmet needs of patients — knowledge that shapes research from its earliest stages and bridges discoveries from the bench to the bedside. To date, research from SBP has been the basis for the creation of 35 new companies, leading to numerous new therapeutic programs that moved into clinical development and FDA-approved treatments.

"The Board intends to commence a process to attract a permanent CEO to lead SBP's world-class research into the future," added Mr. Nordhoff.  "In the meantime, the Board is pleased to have the Institute's affairs under the very capable and experienced leadership of Dr. Vuori, as the interim CEO.  Additionally, Dr. Nisen will provide as needed consulting services for SBP so the SBP Board and leadership will have the benefit of Dr. Nisen's unique and valuable talents as a scientific research leader and visionary."

About SBP

Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute (SBP) is an independent nonprofit medical research organization that conducts world-class, collaborative, biological research and translates its discoveries for the benefit of patients. SBP focuses its research on cancer, immunity, neurodegeneration, metabolic disorders and rare children's diseases. The Institute invests in talent, technology and partnerships to accelerate the translation of laboratory discoveries that will have the greatest impact on patients. Recognized for its world-class NCI-designated Cancer Center and the Conrad Prebys Center for Chemical Genomics, SBP employs about 1,100 scientists and staff in San Diego (La Jolla), Calif., and Orlando (Lake Nona), Fla. For more information, visit us at SBPdiscovery.org or on Facebook at facebook.com/SBPdiscovery and on Twitter @SBPdiscovery.

SOURCE Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute

Related Links

http://SBPdiscovery.org