Dr. Al Mutar brings deep expertise in gastrointestinal oncology and early-phase clinical trials and will help to expand access to innovative therapies across North Texas

DALLAS–FORT WORTH, Texas, April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The START Center for Cancer Research ("START"), the world's largest community-based network of clinical trial sites specializing in early-phase oncology trials, today announced the appointment of Salwan Al Mutar, MD, MSc, as Director of Clinical Research at START Dallas-Fort Worth. In this role, Dr. Al Mutar will lead clinical research operations and support the continued growth of early-phase oncology programs across the region. He will be joined by Principal Investigator Henry Q. Xiong, MD, PhD, and a fully dedicated oncology research team supporting the site's clinical research operations.

Dr. Al Mutar joins START with extensive experience as a medical oncologist, clinical investigator, and academic leader. Mostly recently, he served as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Hematology/Oncology at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and as an attending physician at the Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center. His clinical and research expertise spans gastrointestinal malignancies, with a particular focus on pancreatic cancer and biomarker-driven therapies.

Throughout his career, Dr. Al Mutar has played a key role in advancing clinical research across Phase I-III studies, including first-in-human and combination therapy trials. He has served as a principal investigator on numerous industry- and investigator-sponsored studies and currently co-directs the pancreatic cancer program at UT Southwestern. His work reflects a strong commitment to translational research, clinical trial innovation, and improving outcomes for patients with complex and advanced cancers.

"START is built to accelerate oncology drug development where it matters most—at the point of care in the community," said Nick Slack, MBE, Chairman and CEO of START. "Dr. Al Mutar brings deep disease expertise and clinical trial leadership across a variety of oncology indications. His appointment as Director of Clinical Research strengthens our ability to deliver complex early-phase studies with speed, quality, and consistency, while expanding access to innovative therapies for patients across the Dallas-Fort Worth region. This is exactly the type of leadership that enables START to continue setting the standard for early-phase oncology research."

The Dallas-Fort Worth region represents a high-opportunity clinical research market, with approximately 40,000 new cancer cases diagnosed each year, providing access to a large, treatment-ready patient population across multiple tumor types. START Dallas–Fort Worth is strategically positioned within one of the largest and fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the United States and is strengthened through its partnership with OneOncology and The Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders (CCBD), enabling robust referral pathways and access to a broad and diverse oncology population. The site is supported by a dedicated research infrastructure and experienced clinical team, enabling efficient study start-up, high-quality execution, and consistent enrollment performance across early-phase trials.

"Patients with aggressive and advanced cancers often face limited options, and clinical trials can represent a critical path forward," said Dr. Al Mutar. "What drew me to START is the ability to bring those options closer to where patients already receive care, without compromising on scientific rigor or trial complexity. By integrating early-phase research into the community setting, we have an opportunity to reach more patients, move faster, and ultimately make a greater impact on outcomes."

"Dr. Al Mutar's experience in both academic and clinical research settings brings valuable perspective to our network," said Chris Takimoto, MD, PhD, Chief Medical Officer at START. "His expertise in gastrointestinal malignancies and biomarker-driven development strengthens our ability to support sponsors with complex early-phase programs, while continuing to expand access for patients who may benefit from innovative therapies. This is an important step in advancing our clinical capabilities in the Dallas-Fort Worth region."

About The START Center for Cancer Research
Deeply rooted in community oncology centers globally, The START Center for Cancer Research provides access to specialized preclinical and early-phase clinical trials of novel anti-cancer agents. START clinical trial sites have conducted more than 1,000 early-phase clinical trials, including for more than 50 therapies that were approved by the FDA or EMA. START represents the world's largest roster of early-phase principal investigators across its global network of clinical trial sites. Committed to accelerating the development of new cancer therapies, START delivers hope to patients, families, and physicians around the world. Learn more at STARTresearch.com.

START Media Contact:
Lauren Panco
VP, Marketing
lauren.panco@startresearch.com
609-216-4920

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SOURCE The START Center for Cancer Research