AUSTIN (KXAN) -- On Wednesday, the governing body for the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) was approved for $51.8 million in grants to fight against cancer in Texas.
All 16 grants approved specialize in either product development research and CPRIT scholar recruitment.
According to CPRIT, the 10 CPRIT recruitment grants bring "world-class cancer researchers" to research institutions in Texas.
CPRIT was established in 2007 when the state legislature agreed to pump $3 billion taxpayer dollars into the program. In 2017, Texas voters approved another $3 billion, according to CPRIT.
In addition to the approval on grants, the CPRIT Oversight Committee voted to approve a new CEO, as the current CEO, Wayne Roberts, will step down on June 30, the release said. Roberts has been the chief executive for 12 years, according to CPRIT.
The new CEO is Kristen Doyle, who is currently the deputy executive officer and general counsel for CPRIT. She will assume her role starting July 1.
Doyle is a cancer survivor, and she has been with CPRIT since 2009, the release said.
According to CPRIT, Doyle "has played a pivotal role in establishing the legal and regulatory foundations that ensure CPRIT maintains the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and fiduciary responsibility."
