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Program Leadership

  • Leslie A. Crews, PhD

    Leslie A. Crews, PhD

    Professor of Medicine
    Assistant Professor, Division of Regenerative Medicine, UC San Diego, School of Medicine
    Member, Moores Cancer Center

    Crews Lab

    Dr. Crews develops new therapies for multiple myeloma and other age-related disorders. Her ground-breaking research in translational cancer research (leukemia and myeloma), hematology, and neuroscience has resulted in numerous cell-based models and molecular assays that are being applied to the development of new diagnostic and therapeutic technologies for cancer and regenerative medicine. Dr. Crews has co-authored over 65 peer-reviewed manuscripts, with more than 12,000 total citations, and the results of her research appeared as the cover image for the November 2016 issue of Cell Stem Cell. Furthermore, she identified the first splice isoform signature of human blood stem cell aging and leukemic progression and developed unique RNA splicing and editing-specific detection tools. Dr. Crews holds leadership roles in the National Center for Leadership in Academic Medicine (NCLAM) and the UC San Diego Health Leadership Academy (HLA). In addition, she has served as principal investigator at UC San Diego, directing cancer research that is currently funded by an NCI R37 grant and the Leukemia Research Foundation’s Hollis Brownstein Young Investigator Award. Through collaborations with clinical experts at MCC, Dr. Crews leads an ongoing tissue biobanking program, which collects primary patient samples that are essential to treating and preventing cancer.
  • Thomas Kipps, MD, PhD

    Thomas Kipps, MD, PhD

    Professor of Medicine
    Evelyn & Edwin Tasch Chair, Cancer Research
    Deputy Director of Research Operations, Moores Cancer Center

    Kipps Lab

    Dr. Kipps is Professor of Medicine, Evelyn and Edwin Tasch Chair in Cancer Research at UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center. Dr. Kipps received his Ph.D. in Immunology and M.D. from Harvard University and had his residency and fellowship training in Internal Medicine, Hematology, and Genetics at Stanford University. Dr. Kipps has a national and international reputation for his work in cancer research, immunology, and gene therapy. He has been a leader in the field for many years, and has helped to develop standardized treatment protocols. He is the author of more than 300 publications and is the PI on several peer-reviewed grants, including an award from NCI/NIH to fund the Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Research Consortium (CRC). The CRC involves collaboration with eight other Cancer Centers around the United States and the UK. Dr. Kipps is also the Director of the Blood Cancer Research Fund at the UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center. The Blood Cancer Research Fund concentrates on developing cures for all types of blood related cancers, specifically Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL).

    Dr. Kipps has over 20 years’ experience in combining research and clinical care responsibilities. International leadership accomplishments for include serving as a board member of the international workshop on CLL, membership on the NCCN committee on chronic leukemias, senior author of guidelines for management and treatment of patients with CLL, senior and/or co-authorship on New England Journal of Medicine articles describing pivotal clinical studies, which resulted in approval of practice-changing therapeutics, such as ibrutinib or venetoclcax, for treatment of patients with CLL.