CRO Charles River Laboratories International has appointed Craig B. Thompson, M.D., president and CEO, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, to its board of directors. Thompson's experience with both global pharmaceutical companies and academic institutions in cancer biology and immunology will provide Charles River with a unique combination of experience.

Previously, Thompson held various roles at the University of Pennsylvania. He currently is a member of the medical advisory board of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute; on the board of directors of Merck; a member of the Lasker Prize Jury; and is an associate editor of the journals Cell, Immunity and Cancer Cell. Thompson holds a number of patents related to immunotherapy and apoptosis, and is a founder of three biotechnology companies. He is an elected member of the National Academy of Sciences, the Institute of Medicine, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Society for Clinical Investigation and the American Association of Physicians.

In conjunction with Thompson's election, the Charles River board also established a new Science and Technology Committee. This Committee will focus on identifying significant emerging trends in science and technology as well as consider the potential impact of these trends on the company. It will also be responsible for periodically reviewing and advising the board on the company's strategic direction and investment in research and development activities. In addition to Thompson, who will work as the chairman, the committee includes current directors Stephen D. Chubb, Deborah T. Kochevar and George M. Milne, Jr.