Peter J. Houghton, PhD (43215), will lead the next wave of cancer research at Nationwide Childrens Hospital as director of the Center for Childhood Cancer at The Research Institute. With his guidance, Nationwide Childrens is poised to develop new, clinically-applicable cancer therapies and expand and enhance its clinical trial programs. Dr. Houghton will also have an integral role with the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center and will hold a faculty post at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. His appointment began August 3.
Dr. Houghton comes to Columbus from a more than 30-year stint with St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn., where he was the chairman of Molecular Pharmacy, director of the Solid Tumor Program Project Grant, and co-leader of the Solid Malignancies Program.
During his career, Dr. Houghton has focused on understanding the basic biology of childhood solid tumors, largely sarcomas. His track record of groundbreaking laboratory discovery distinguishes him as a national leader in pediatric cancer research. Dr. Houghtons expertise covers many areas of study, though he is most noted for the discovery of new therapies to treat tumors occurring in muscles and other soft tissues, especially rhabdomyosarcomas. This type of tumor is one of the most common and highly malignant cancers occurring in children.
We are fortunate to have recruited a scientist of Dr. Houghtons caliber, said John Barnard, MD, president of The Research Institute at Nationwide Childrens Hospital. He will usher in a new era of outstanding laboratory and clinical research related to childhood cancer. His discoveries will offer hope to children and their families battling this devastating disease.
Along with his lab-based studies, Dr. Houghton will bring the Pediatric Preclinical Testing Program (PPTP) to Nationwide Childrens. The PPTP provides a system for prioritizing drugs with potential to treat pediatric cancers. Supported by the National Cancer Institute, the PPTP involves multiple pediatric research sites throughout the world that have expertise in specific childhood cancers. Scientists at these sites have developed preclinical models that express genes similar to those expressed by human cancers. These models are used to determine which drugs that have been developed for adult cancers may be effective in treating pediatric cancers. The PPTP not only helps prioritize drugs for pediatrics, but helps fast track these therapies to trials in children.
Dr. Houghton received his PhD in 1976 from the Institute of Cancer Research at the University of London.
Peter J. Houghton, PhD, Appointed Director of the Center for Childhood Cancer at The Research Institute at Nationwide Childrens Hospital
August 5, 2009
About Nationwide Children's Hospital
Named to the Top 10 Honor Roll on U.S. News & World Report’s 2023-24 list of “Best Children’s Hospitals,” Nationwide Children’s Hospital is one of America’s largest not-for-profit free-standing pediatric health care systems providing unique expertise in pediatric population health, behavioral health, genomics and health equity as the next frontiers in pediatric medicine, leading to best outcomes for the health of the whole child. Integrated clinical and research programs, as well as prioritizing quality and safety, are part of what allows Nationwide Children’s to advance its unique model of care. Nationwide Children’s has a staff of more than 14,000 that provides state-of-the-art wellness, preventive and rehabilitative care and diagnostic treatment during more than 1.7 million patient visits annually. As home to the Department of Pediatrics of The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Nationwide Children’s physicians train the next generation of pediatricians and pediatric specialists. The Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital is one of the Top 10 National Institutes of Health-funded free-standing pediatric research facilities. More information is available at NationwideChildrens.org.