Richard Whitley, M.D., Distinguished Professor of Pediatrics, the Loeb Eminent Scholar Chair of Pediatrics and director of the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, has agreed to serve as a member of the Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee (RAC) for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for a four-year term ending July 31, 2017.
The RAC serves a critical role in the oversight of federally funded research involving recombinant DNA and advises the NIH director on such matters. This includes review of human gene-transfer trials, an assessment of the ability of DNA recombinants to survive in nature and the potential for transfer of genetic material to other organisms. When contemplating such issues, the RAC also considers the significant ethical, legal and societal implications.
Whitley also is the associate director for drug discovery and development with the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center and a co-director of the CCTS Drug Discovery Component.