The START Center for Cancer Research proudly announces the appointment of Chris H. Takimoto, MD, PhD, FACP, as its new Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Takimoto, a renowned physician-scientist, oncology drug developer, and entrepreneur, brings a wealth of leadership experience and a distinguished career in both clinical and executive roles.
In his new role at START, Dr. Takimoto will spearhead the organization’s scientific and medical strategies, further positioning START as the global leader in community-based early phase cancer trials. He will focus on expanding START’s footprint globally, enhancing its clinical trial services, and fostering deep collaborations with community oncology centers, pharmaceutical companies, and the world’s leading Principal Investigators. As a member of the leadership team, Dr. Takimoto will continue to help START elevate its reputation as a leading force in advancing breakthrough cancer therapies, bringing promising treatments directly to patients in communities globally.
Dr. Takimoto has had a distinguished career in oncology drug development, serving as Chief Medical Officer at IGM Biosciences and Forty Seven, Inc., and holding senior roles at Gilead and Janssen. He was also a founding member of START, where he served as Director of Pharmacology and was a principal or co-investigator on over 250 early-phase oncology clinical trials. His academic background includes an M.D. and Ph.D. in Pharmacology from Yale University, and fellowships in Medical Oncology at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and Clinical Pharmacology at the Uniformed Services University. Prior to joining industry, he held faculty positions at the NCI and University of Texas Health San Antonio.
Nick Slack, Chairman and CEO of START, expressed his enthusiasm about Dr. Takimoto’s appointment: “Chris is one of the most accomplished, productive, and well-rounded cancer drug developers in the world. His illustrious background, from biotech to academia, combined with his deep understanding of both clinical and translational research, is unmatched. His return to START signals our leadership in oncology drug development and the bold, promising direction of our organization’s future. Chris will harness his unique experience to propel us forward, advancing our mission to bring life-changing therapies to cancer patients globally.”
Dr. Takimoto shared his excitement about his new role: “There is no greater mission than bringing early phase cancer trials to patients in the community while supporting our biopharmaceutical sponsors in accelerating the development of new therapies. In that spirit, I am thrilled to return to START as its Chief Medical Officer. I look forward to leveraging my experience and relationships to further enhance our research capabilities and our collaborations with community oncology centers and pharmaceutical companies. Together, we will continue to pioneer advancements in cancer treatment.”
About The START Center for Cancer Research
Deeply rooted in community oncology centers globally, The START Center for Cancer Research provides access to specialized preclinical and early-phase clinical trials of novel anti-cancer agents. START clinical trial sites have conducted more than a thousand early-phase clinical trials, including for 43 therapies that were approved by the FDA or EMA. START represents the world’s largest roster of Principal Investigators (PIs) across its eight clinical trial sites. Committed to accelerating passage from trials to treatments, START delivers hope to patients, families, and physicians around the world. Learn more at STARTresearch.com.
