David Jaffray will join the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center this summer as its first-ever chief technology and digital officer, the provider said on Tuesday.
He currently serves as executive vice president for technology and innovation at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto.
Jaffray, who holds a Ph.D. in medical biophysics, will oversee MD Anderson's information services division and its information security department. One of his core responsibilities will involve working with MD Anderson's strategy and business development team to support data governance and integration across the organization's campuses.
Jaffray is also tasked with coordinating the cancer center's efforts related to "technology-enabled innovation," MD Anderson said. That includes working with MD Anderson's chief scientific officer and strategic industry ventures team to cultivate industry partnerships.
Jaffray's background in technology commercialization and development coincides with his experience as a physicist, according to MD Anderson. Jaffray has led the development of commercial software and hardware products that support cancer care, and his research focuses on the development of image-guided radiation therapy.
"David is a visionary thinker who will bring new energy to our extensive opportunities in data science, technology and digital platforms," MD Anderson President Dr. Peter W.T. Pisters said in a statement. "His background as a scientist and his proven skill as an innovator make him especially qualified for this role."
At MD Anderson, Jaffray will also hold a faculty appointment as a professor of radiation physics with a joint appointment in imaging physics.
