s ▁to b acco ▁settlement ▁invest ment ▁in ▁cancer ▁research ▁and ▁new ▁fac ulty ▁rec ruit ment ▁programs ▁within ▁the ▁Georgia ▁Can cer ▁Co al ition . ▁Sim ons ▁co - direct ed ▁with ▁Sh uming ▁Nie ▁the ▁National ▁Can cer ▁Institute ▁Center ▁for ▁Can cer ▁Nan ote chn ology ▁Ex cell ence ▁at ▁Em ory ▁and ▁Georgia ▁Institute ▁of ▁Technology . ▁From ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁to ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁Sim ons ▁was ▁a ▁Dist ingu ished ▁Service ▁Professor ▁of ▁H emat ology ▁and ▁On col ogy ▁at ▁the ▁Em ory ▁University ▁School ▁of ▁Medicine , ▁and ▁Professor ▁of ▁Material s ▁Sciences ▁Engineering ▁at ▁the ▁Georgia ▁Institute ▁of ▁Technology . ▁ ▁With ▁Michael ▁Mil ken , ▁Chair man ▁of ▁the ▁Board ▁of ▁F aster C ures , ▁Sim ons ▁created ▁the ▁strateg ic ▁plan ▁and ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁inter im ▁chief ▁science ▁officer ▁for ▁the ▁launch ▁of ▁the ▁Mel an oma ▁Research ▁Alliance . ▁The ▁Mel an oma ▁Research ▁Alliance ▁was ▁founded ▁by ▁Deb ra ▁and ▁Leon ▁Black ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁Sim ons ▁was ▁induct ed ▁into ▁the ▁Joh ns ▁Hop kins ▁University ▁Society ▁of ▁Sch ol ars . ▁The ▁society ▁induct s ▁former ▁post do ctor al ▁fell ows , ▁post do ctor al ▁degree ▁recip ients , ▁house ▁staff ▁and ▁junior ▁or ▁visit ing ▁fac ulty ▁who ▁have ▁served ▁at ▁least ▁a ▁year ▁at ▁Joh ns ▁Hop kins ▁and ▁there after ▁gained ▁marked ▁distinction