'Hutch' names AIDS expert as its new leader

The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center may be among the nation's premier biomedical institutions, but the center's next president says it can't rest on its laurels.

The public wants to see medical advances move more quickly from the lab to the doctor's office, and the Hutchinson Center — better known as "the Hutch" — is well positioned to help make that happen, said Dr. Lawrence Corey.

An internationally known expert on AIDS and vaccine development, Corey said he also plans to expand the center's efforts to fight cancer in the developing world, where the disease takes a disproportionate toll.

"It's a unique, and I think optimistic time to be involved in scientific research," Corey said Friday during a news conference announcing his selection for the top job.

Corey, 63, was picked from the Hutch's own ranks after a yearlong search for a successor to Lee Hartwell, the Nobel Laureate who has led the center for the past 13 years. Hartwell will retire this fall, and Corey will take over on Jan. 1, 2011.

Though not a cancer specialist, Corey brings to the job a sterling scientific reputation and an ability to pull together large-scale partnerships, said Doug Walker, chairman of the Hutchinson Center's board.

Such partnerships are increasingly important in tackling complex scientific and medical challenges, Corey said.

Decades of research have revealed cancer to be a much more complex and diverse disease than previously thought, with causes that range from genetic mutations to viral infections. While some tumors respond well to treatment, others develop resistance to chemotherapy drugs, he said.

Understanding the biology behind those differences will be essential to develop the treatments of the future and identify ways to prevent cancer, he said.

Dr. Paul Ramsey, dean of the University of Washington School of Medicine, said Corey's engaging personality and scientific drive help him bring together people with different skills to work toward a common goal. Corey, who also holds a joint appointment as a UW professor, can juggle several different offices and research labs simultaneously, Ramsey said.

Corey currently co-directs the Hutch's Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, leads the UW's Virology Division, and treats patients through the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. He also leads an international collaboration to design and carry out AIDS vaccine trials.

"Larry is one of those rare individuals who has a wonderful feel for great basic science, and is as successful as anyone I know in figuring out how to bring that ... science to the clinic," said Dr. Richard Klausner, former director of the National Cancer Institute.

With more than 2,700 employees and an annual budget of nearly $400 million, the Hutchinson Center has seen its research budget shoot up in recent years — including a $46 million bump from the federal stimulus package. The Hutch leads all independent research centers in funding from the National Institutes of Health.

But the NIH budget is not likely to grow in the face of a recession that has also shriveled private donations for research, Klausner said. "The number one challenge any research institution faces is financial."

To be competitive, the Hutch — which pioneered bone-marrow transplantation — needs to continue to translate scientific advances into actual cures, Corey said.

Corey's local connections and relationships are a boon for Seattle, added Chris Rivera, president of the Washington Biotechnology and Biomedical Association. "There's a strong sense of collaboration among our research institutions ... and I'm sure Larry is going to continue to facilitate that and strengthen the Hutch's role in the community."

Sandi Doughton: 206-464-2491 or sdoughton@seattletimes.com