Richard J. Whitley, MD will be joining the Senior Leadership team of the Comprehensive Cancer Center as the newly appointed Associate Director for Drug Discovery and Development.  Dr. Whitley leads the Alabama Drug Discovery Alliance in collaboration with Southern Research under the leadership of Jack Secrist, PhD.

Edward E. Partridge, M.D., Director of the Comprehensive Cancer Center, states in his official announcement of the appointment that, "Dr. Whitley has done an outstanding job in developing and leading the Alabama Drug Discovery Alliance and has been influential in moving a number of cancer related projects through this new development process.  In addition, as a long term leader of the CCC Virology Program and with his own work in HSV therapeutics for brain tumors, he has contributed substantially to the success of the CCC.  Whitley has also agreed to provide leadership in strategic planning to enhance the research program within Pediatric Oncology with the long term goal of programmatic status within the Core Grant structure of the CCC."