M2Gen® CEO Dr. William Dalton Inducted into 2016 Florida Inventors Hall of Fame

March 23, 2016

TAMPA, Fla. – Dr. William S. Dalton, founder and CEO of M2Gen^®, a national biotechnology subsidiary of Moffitt Cancer Center, is being inducted into the 2016 Florida Inventors Hall of Fame. Dalton, Ph.D., M.D., previously was president, CEO and center director of Moffitt, the only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center based in Florida.

Dalton is being recognized for revolutionizing developments in cancer treatment and research in molecular mechanisms of drug resistance that led to the creation of Total Cancer Care^®, or personalized protocols for the treatment of cancer and information/decision tools used by clinicians worldwide. Moffitt and M2Gen have developed one of the largest cancer tumor biorepositories and data warehouses in the United States dedicated to the improvement of personalized medicine with more than 120,000 patients consented.

In 2014, Moffitt and The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center founded the Oncology Research Information Exchange Network, or ORIEN. The goal is to accelerate cancer research discovery by sharing information and delivering hope through collaborative learning and partnerships.

“I am pleased and honored to receive this recognition and thrilled to be a member of Florida Inventors Hall of Fame,” said Dalton. “To be recognized and included by such an esteemed group of contributors is truly humbling. I have been fortunate throughout my entire career to be surrounded by brilliant people who all have the same mission of improving the lives of cancer patients.”

Dalton, along with six others, will be inducted at the 3^rd Annual Florida Inventors Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony & Gala on Sept. 16 at the Hilton Tampa Downtown and presented with a custom medal.

Dalton holds 10 U.S. patents. He serves on numerous not-for-profit boards, including the National Board of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. He is the chair of the Personalized Medicine Coalition and vice chair of the Institute of Human and Machine Cognition. Dalton is also the past president of the Association of American Cancer Institutes and has served on several NCI boards including the Board of Scientific Advisors and the National Cancer Policy Forum, Institute of Medicine.

The Florida Inventors Hall of Fame recognizes and commends Florida inventors whose achievements have advanced the quality of life for Floridians, the state and the nation. Nominees, who must hold at least one U.S. patent, were nominated through an open nomination process and elected by a selection committee comprising distinguished leaders in research and innovation throughout Florida.

“The high merit of this year’s inductees has been recognized by national and international organizations with many other honors and awards,” said Paul R. Sanberg, chair of the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame advisory board and a 2015 inductee. “We are honored to be inducting them into the Hall of Fame.”

The Florida Inventors Hall of Fame was recognized by the Florida Senate in 2014 with a resolution sponsored by Sen. Jeff Brandes that commends the Hall of Fame “for its commitment to honoring inventors and celebrating innovation, discovery, and excellence.”

About Moffitt Cancer Center
Moffitt is dedicated to one lifesaving mission: to contribute to the prevention and cure of cancer. One of the three largest cancer centers in the United States based on patient volume, the Tampa-based facility is one of only 45 National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers, a distinction that recognizes Moffitt’s excellence in research, its contributions to clinical trials, prevention and cancer control. Moffitt is the top-ranked cancer hospital in Florida and has been listed in U.S. News & World Report as one of the “Best Hospitals” for cancer care since 1999. Moffitt devotes more than 2 million square feet to research and patient care. With more than 5,000 team members, Moffitt has an economic impact in the state of $1.9 billion. For more information, call 1-888-MOFFITT (1-888-663-3488), visit MOFFITT.org, and follow the Moffitt momentum on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

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