Bristol-Myers' ex-chief scientific officer joins Fred Hutchinson as president

As Bristol-Myers Squibb looked to subsume Big Biotech Celgene, its chief scientific officer Thomas Lynch decided to walk.

Amid the company becoming Squelgene, Lynch hit the exit in the summer and went on to “pursue other healthcare opportunities.” A few months back, he landed at cancer biotech Kleo Pharmaceuticals as its chairman, but Lynch has now taken up a bigger role at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

He becomes its new president and director from Feb. 1, a fitting role for an oncologist by training and will, according to the center, “help improve our understanding of the molecular mechanisms that lead to cancer and other diseases.”

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“When I learned Fred Hutch was searching for a new leader, I immediately knew where I wanted to be,” Lynch said. “The Hutch is legendary for being where breakthrough discoveries in basic science happen. This institution is unafraid to do what science is best at: taking bold, unconventional approaches to solving hard problems.

“The Hutch is well-positioned to make an enormous difference in how patients and caregivers manage cancer and related diseases. In the next five years we’re going to make remarkable leaps. Technology and personalized diagnostics can accelerate our understanding of the molecular underpinnings of cancer. Based on the Hutch’s pedigree, the extraordinary researchers here who are committed to saving lives, and the proximity to Seattle’s thriving technology and life sciences community, I can’t imagine a more exciting place to be right now.”