Laurence J.N. Cooper, M.D, Ph.D., is a visiting scientist at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and CEO of ZIOPHARM Oncology. He graduated from Kenyon College in 1986 and received his M.D. and Ph.D. from Case Western Reserve University. He then completed his medical residency at the University of Washington Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical Center. Dr. Cooper finished his schooling with a fellowship at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

Dr. Cooper joined the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in 2006, where his appointments included Tenured Professor in pediatrics and immunology, Section Chief of cell therapy at the Children’s Cancer Hospital and Associate Director at the Center for Cancer Immunology Research.

Dr. Cooper has received numerous awards and honors, including the 1994 Henry F. Sanders’ Award in Pediatrics from Case Western Reserve University, the 1999 Young Investigator Award from the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the 2004 American Society of Gene Therapy Young Investigator Award, the 2010 Best Boss Award at MD Anderson Cancer Center and the 2012 Robert M. Chamberlain Distinguished Mentor Award from MD Anderson Cancer Center.

He has also authored more than 140 journal articles, book chapters and abstracts, and is a member of many societies and organizations, including the American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation, the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy, the American Society of Hematology, the California Medical Association, the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant, the Harris County Medical Society, the International Society for Biological Therapy of Cancer, the International Society for Cellular Therapy, the Lymphoma Research Foundation, the Follicular Lymphoma Consortium, the National Cancer Institute’s Pediatric Oncology Branch and the American Society for Clinical Investigation.