Peter Nelson named vice president of Precision Oncology and director of the Sloan Precision Oncology Institute

Dr. Peter Nelson, professor (Medical Oncology) has been named vice president of Precision Oncology and director of the Sloan Precision Oncology Institute. He will also become the inaugural holder of the Stuart and Molly Sloan Precision Oncology Institute Endowed Chair.

The Sloan Precision Oncology Institute was made possible by a transformational gift by Stuart and Molly Sloan, the largest single gift in Fred Hutch’s 47-year history. 

Dr. Peter Nelson studies prostate cancer. Among men, prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer and the second leading cause of death from cancer. Though many cases are curable, treatment can have negative side effects, and researchers have yet to develop a cure for advanced, hormone-deprivation-resistant prostate cancer.

Nelson works to understand what triggers the disease and how it develops, as well as to improve therapies and discover new treatment targets. His research covers everything from inherited mutations that increase the risk of developing advanced prostate cancer to the link between aging and prostate cancer. He also works to identify genetic alterations in prostate tumors that can help oncologists tailor treatment for individual patients.