PHILADELPHIA — (March 23, 2021) — The Wistar Institute, a global leader in biomedical research in cancer, immunology and infectious disease, is pleased to announce the appointment of Richard M. Horowitz as chair of its Board of Trustees. Horowitz, who serves as president and CEO of RAF Industries, Inc., has been a member of Wistar’s Board since 2002 and vice-chair since 2012. Horowitz succeeds Helen P. Pudlin, Esq., who has chaired the board since 2012 and will continue to serve as an active member.
“I’m excited by what the future holds at Wistar and deeply honored to be assuming this role at a critical moment in the history of the Institution,” said Horowitz. “Wistar has been an engine of important medical discovery for over a century and it’s poised now for even greater scientific leadership — not just in groundbreaking cancer research, but also in the new frontier of pandemic preparedness, where Wistar is exceptionally well equipped to advance medical science. Helen’s leadership has been inspiring, and I look forward to working with everyone at Wistar to realize the vision.”
“It’s been a great privilege and a source of enormous personal fulfillment to serve as chair of Wistar’s Board of Trustees,” said Pudlin, retired executive vice president and general counsel of the PNC Financial Services Group. “I’m incredibly proud of what Wistar has accomplished as a discovery science institution during the past eight years, and its testament to the exceptional talents of our scientists, the vision of our executive leadership, and the remarkable commitment of my colleagues on the board. This recent era has seen the construction of the Fox Tower, which created new space and facilities for some of the best and brightest researchers in the world and has enabled unprecedented collaborations in HIV, cancer research, and infectious disease. Not only are we contributing to the advancement of scientific initiatives on a global scale, we are playing a key role in the scientific and educational vitality of our region, whose reputation as a biomedical science hub is growing rapidly.”
“Helen’s dedication to the mission of The Wistar Institute during these transformative times has been unwavering, and I am deeply grateful for her passion and guidance,” said Dario C. Altieri, M.D., president and CEO, Cancer Center director, and the Robert and Penny Fox Distinguished Professor at The Wistar Institute. “Her leadership and vision have been instrumental in helping the Institute achieve ever higher levels of prominence in the worldwide biomedical research community. Wistar has always been focused on achieving global impact through bold, innovative research ideas, and Helen has been an incredibly effective champion of that mission. Wistar is in a transformative period. With Rick’s Board leadership, I’m confident we can maintain a level of momentum that’s unprecedented in our 130-year history.”
“Wistar is an institution that has always punched above its weight, and it’s also one of the most exciting places in the world of biomedical science to be right now. So much is happening here. And there is so much important work to be done. It’s really thrilling to be part of it,” said Horowitz.
Currently, Horowitz also serves as Netter Center National Advisory Board member and member of the Board of Advisors of the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Arts and Sciences, as well as board member of the Children’s Crisis Treatment Center and National Constitution Center.
Sue Dillon, Ph.D., who is co-founder and CEO of Aro Biotherapeutics, has been elected to serve as the new vice-chair. Dillon was previously global therapeutic area head, Immunology, at Janssen Research & Development, a pharmaceutical company of Johnson & Johnson.
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The Wistar Institute is an international leader in biomedical research with special expertise in cancer research and vaccine development. Founded in 1892 as the first independent, nonprofit biomedical research institute in the US, Wistar has held the prestigious Cancer Center designation from the National Cancer Institute since 1972. The Institute works actively to ensure that research advances advance from the laboratory to the clinic as quickly as possible. wistar.org.
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