Dana-Farber appoints new head for drug discovery and research
Scott A. Armstrong, MD, PhD, has been named senior vice president for drug discovery and chief research strategy officer at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, according to a press release.
Armstrong, who is also chair of the department of pediatric oncology, will continue to serve in both roles until a successor is named.
With the new role, Armstrong will lead Dana-Farber’s institutional research strategy with an early focus on therapeutic discovery work. He is a leader in the fields of both epigenetics and drug discovery research, with his work helping to guide the development of small molecules that target chromatin complexes and gene expression in cancer.
“Scott Armstrong’s outstanding research has already helped treat patients with cancer,” Laurie H. Glimcher, MD, president and CEO of Dana-Farber, said in a press release. “His experience will help further Dana-Farber’s mission to disseminate innovative patient therapies and scientific discoveries around the world and reduce the impact of cancer, and we will greatly benefit from his leadership and expertise. He is uniquely well-suited for these new roles at this pivotal time.”
Armstrong has led the department of pediatric oncology at Dana-Farber for the last 8 years, during which he oversaw recruitment of multiple new faculty members revolving around clinical care, clinical research and lab-based investigation.
He was also previously named president of Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center in 2019 while also serving as associate chief of the division of hematology/oncology at Boston Children’s Hospital.
Armstrong earned his medical degree from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, before finishing his internship and residency training with the Boston Combined Residency Program at Boston Medical Center and Boston Children’s Hospital.