James P. Allison has been named to the newly established David H. Koch Chair in Immunologic Studies, and Michael S. Glickman has been designated the incumbent of a Catherine and Frederick R. Adler Chair for Junior Faculty.
Dr. Allison, Chairman of the Immunology Program in the Sloan-Kettering Institute, is a leader in the field of immunology, particularly in developing ways to help the immune system recognize and destroy cancer cells. His research is focused on the mechanisms that regulate the immunological responses of T lymphocytes, especially strategies to manipulate those responses in clinically relevant areas, including autoimmunity, allergies, vaccinations, and tumor therapy. Dr. Allison is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and an investigator in the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
The chair he holds was endowed through a $3 million gift from David H. Koch and is part of Mr. Koch's $10 million commitment to support Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Centers's initiatives in the immunologic control of cancer. Mr. Koch is executive vice president of Koch Industries, Inc., and has been a member of MSKCC's Boards of Overseers and Managers since 1990. His gifts to Memorial Sloan-Kettering through the years have also included support for prostate cancer research and other projects.
