Tempest Therapeutics, Inc. announced that executive vice president and chief medical officer, Sam Whiting, M.D. Ph.D., has expanded his role to include head of Research and Development. Dr. Whiting joined Tempest as executive vice president and chief medical officer in November 2020, and assumed the role of chief medical officer and head of research and development following the departure of Tom Dubensky, Ph.D., who has become an advisor to the company. Prior to joining Tempest, Dr. Whiting served as senior vice president of clinical development at Calithera Biosciences, a clinical-stage biotech company focused on developing treatments for cancer and other life-threatening diseases.

Before Calithera, Dr. Whiting served as vice president of research and clinical development at Gradalis and worked in development of small molecule targeted and immune-oncology agents at VentiRx Pharmaceuticals and Oncothyreon. Prior to joining industry, Dr. Whiting served as assistant professor of medical oncology at the University of Washington, assistant member of clinical research at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, and clinical head of gastrointestinal oncology at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. Dr. Whiting completed fellowship training in medical oncology at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

His training in internal medicine was through the ABIM Research Pathway at the University of Washington. Dr. Whiting received his B.S. with Honors in Chemistry from Lewis and Clark College and his M.D. and Ph.D in microbiology in the Medical Scientist Training Program at the University of Washington.