Program Leaders

TTUHSC SOM Cancer Center Program Leaders

Developmental Therapeutics: 


Barry J. Maurer, MD PhD

•  B.S., B.S.E  in Chemistry/Chemical Engineering from University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
• Ph.D. in Chemical Biology from the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA
• M.D in Medicine from Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
• Internship in Pediatrics at Children’s Hospital of Michigan, Detroit, MI
• Residency in Pediatrics USC/LAC Pediatric Pavilion, Los Angeles, CA
• Postdoctoral Fellowship in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA
• Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA

Research Interests: 

Dr. Maurer is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Cell Biology & Biochemistry, and Medicine, at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) School of Medicine (SOM), and Program Leader for Developmental Therapeutics for the TTUHSC Cancer Center. Dr. Maurer is a pediatric oncologist experienced in translational laboratory cancer research (drug development/developmental therapeutics) and in developing, writing, and conducting Phase 1 and 2 oncology clinical trials in both children and adults. Major foci of his research have included the translational development and clinical testing of both intravenous and oral fenretinide as a cytotoxic ceramide-increasing agent, and of co-modulators of ceramide pathways, such as safingol, for combination with fenretinide in both adult and pediatric tumors. Another focus of his research has been the delineation of the cytotoxic specificity of different ceramide species in specific tumor systems. Dr. Maurer has developed novel oral and i.v. formulations of fenretinide and safingol for clinical testing and has conducted multiple Phase I and II clinical studies as study chair, co-chair, and study member, including in relapsed neuroblastoma, ALL leukemia, and platinum-refractory ovarian cancers. He has held FDA Investigator-initiated IND #68,254 for oral/LXS powder fenretinide, and IND #110,514 for intravenous fenretinide + intravenous safingol.

Clinical Oncology: 


Thomas Hutson, MD, DO, PharmD, PhD

• BS  Ohio Northern University
• DO Ohio University
• Pharm D Ohio Northern University
• Dallas Theological Seminary
• MBTX Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
• ScM Brown University
• JM Texas A & M School of Law
• MPH Yale University
• PhD Liberty University/Selinus University

Dr. Thomas Hutson is a highly accomplished and recognized leader in the field of urologic cancers, particularly kidney cancer. He has made significant contributions to medical research, publishing over 500 scholarly works and serving as a clinical investigator in international research trials. He has over 270 peer-reviewed papers and has almost 60,000 citations. He is the Division Chief of Hematology and Medical Oncology at Texas Tech University Health Science Center School of Medicine and the UMC Cancer Center Director.

Dr. Hutson's educational background is extensive and diverse. He holds a DO degree in Medicine, a PharmD degree, and a PhD in Public Policy, among other degrees in fields like Divinity and Law. This multidisciplinary background likely informs his comprehensive approach to cancer care.

He has held numerous leadership positions throughout his career, including roles at the Sarah Cannon Research Institute and Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, Texas. He has also served on various editorial boards and committees for prestigious organizations like the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and the Kidney Cancer Association. Notably, he is the current Editor-in-Chief of the Kidney Cancer Journal and the International Journal of Medical Case Reports.

Dr. Hutson's expertise and contributions have been widely recognized. He was recently ranked among the top 2% of global scientific researchers by Stanford University and included in Newsweek's list of the top 300 prostate cancer oncologists in the US. His dedication to research, clinical practice, and medical education solidifies his position as a leading figure in the fight against cancer.

Cancer Prevention:
TBD