Champions Oncology (NASDAQ:CSBR), a leading provider of oncology-focused contract research organization (CRO) services, has appointed Rob Brainin as Chief Executive Officer and Board member, effective August 25, 2025. The appointment marks a strategic leadership transition as the company expands beyond its core CRO services into data-driven oncology solutions.
Leadership Transition and Strategic Vision
Brainin will succeed Dr. Ronnie Morris, who has served as CEO since 2017 and will transition to Executive Chair to support the leadership change while remaining actively involved in strategic initiatives. Joel Ackerman, current Chairman of the Board, will move to a Director role as part of the transition.
"As we expand beyond our core CRO services into a robust data offering, Rob's expertise and track record of driving growth in innovative life sciences businesses make him the ideal leader to guide Champions through its next chapter," said Ackerman.
New CEO's Background and Experience
Brainin brings more than 25 years of experience in life sciences and technology, with demonstrated ability to scale businesses built on cutting-edge science and data capabilities. He most recently served as Chief Business Officer at Veracyte, an oncology diagnostics company, and previously held the CEO position at Genuity Science, a company focused on genomics, data, and therapeutic discovery.
Having served on Champions' Board of Directors since 2021, Brainin is familiar with the company's operations and strategic direction. "The strength of Champions' core CRO services provides a tremendous foundation to expand our emerging data platform and advance the pipeline of our discovery therapeutics subsidiary, Corellia AI," Brainin stated.
Company's Oncology Research Platform
Champions Oncology operates as a global preclinical and clinical research services provider, offering comprehensive oncology R&D solutions to biopharmaceutical organizations. The company maintains the largest and most annotated bank of clinically relevant patient-derived xenograft (PDX) and primary hematological malignancy models, delivering data through proprietary in vivo and ex vivo platforms.
The company's portfolio includes cutting-edge bioanalytical platforms, a groundbreaking data platform with analytics capabilities, and scientific expertise that enables advancement of preclinical and clinical oncology drug discovery and development programs worldwide.
Future Growth Strategy
The leadership appointment aligns with Champions' strategic expansion into data-driven services and therapeutic discovery through its subsidiary Corellia AI. Dr. Morris expressed confidence in the transition, stating, "I have complete confidence that Rob is the right leader to take Champions into its next phase of growth, and I look forward to supporting him and the team in realizing the company's full potential."
The leadership change positions Champions to leverage its established CRO foundation while building enhanced data capabilities and advancing its discovery therapeutics pipeline, creating value for customers, employees, and shareholders in the evolving oncology research landscape.
