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First woman hired to endowed chair program |
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Tuesday, 15 July 2008 |
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SCBIZ Daily Staff
South Carolina has attracted its 20th world-renowned researcher through its state-funded endowed chairs program, the S.C. Centers of Economic Excellence announced Friday.
Melanie Thomas will lead the Gastrointestinal Cancer Diagnostic Center at the Medical University of South Carolina, researching treatments and screens for stomach, liver, pancreas, colon and other cancers found in the gastrointestinal tract.
Thomas, who was recruited from the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center at the University of Texas, is the first woman hired as an endowed chair in South Carolina.
The endowed chairs program, formally called the S.C. Centers of Economic Excellence, was launched in 2002 to advance and commercialize research at MUSC, Clemson University and the University of South Carolina. The goal is to attract highly touted researchers who bring cutting-edge research and technology that can potentially spark spinoff companies and job growth. The centers also can attract students and private investment to the state.
The state has appropriated $180 million in lottery proceeds to the program since its inception. This year, the state Legislature removed a $200 million funding limit, despite objections from Gov. Mark Sanford.
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