Jennifer Pietenpol, Ph.D., B.F. Byrd Jr. Professor of Oncology and director of Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, has been named an at-large member of the National Cancer Policy Forum, an advisory group of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academies.
The IOM established the forum to serve as a trusted venue for national leaders from multiple sectors to work cooperatively to address high-priority policy issues in the nation’s effort to combat cancer.
Pietenpol is serving a three-year term.
“It is a wonderful privilege and honor to be invited to participate as a member of this forum,” said Pietenpol, who also heads a VICC research laboratory focusing on the molecular underpinnings of cancer. “We are at a crucial juncture in cancer research as we elucidate genetic changes that contribute to cancer, and we will need a focused and coordinated effort to use this information for the development of improved prevention strategies and therapies for patients worldwide.”
Members of the National Cancer Policy Forum work together to identify emerging high-priority policy issues in science, clinical medicine and public health relevant to the prevention and treatment of cancer.
Participants include clinicians, patients, researchers, professional and advocacy organizations, pharmaceutical manufacturers and policymakers. The forum enables all members to be full participants in discussing critical policy issues and examining strategies for improvement, and the group produces publicly available reports.
During the most recent meeting, members examined the issue of escalating treatment costs, as well as shortages of some cancer drugs and the impact of these issues on cancer patients and their families.
In June 2008, Pietenpol was appointed to a six-year term on the 12-member National Cancer Advisory Board of the NIH’s National Cancer Institute. She is a member of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Scientific Advisory Committee and has been on the board of directors of the American Association for Cancer Research.
Pietenpol has served as associate editor or on the editorial board for numerous biomedical research journals. She has authored or co-authored more than 110 articles published in peer-reviewed scientific publications and is an elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.