Russel is currently President Emeritus of The Wistar Institute and previously served as the Director of The Wistar Institute NCI Cancer Center. Prior to his role at Wistar, he was the Vice Dean and Associate Vice Chancellor at the Duke University School of Medicine, where he is now professor emeritus. He also serves as a Wistar Professor in the Adjunct Faculty at the University of Pennsylvania. His research career focused on cancer, genetics and blood diseases. He is certified in Internal Medicine and has practiced hematology and medical oncology. Russel has held leadership positions in national academic organizations in Internal Medicine, and on committees within the NIH, the National Academy of Sciences, the American Cancer Society, and the American Association of Medical Colleges. He is a consultant to Kentmere Healthcare and a director at Immorta Bio, and has served on the boards of the CEO Council for Growth in Philadelphia, BioAdvance, Osage Ventures, Militia Hill Ventures, BioRasi, Neuland Pharmaceutical Labs (Hyderabad), Credit Suisse (SAB), and the University City Science Center.

Russel joined Pappas Capital in 2008 as a member of the Scientific Advisory Board, becoming an Executive-in-Residence in 2015 and a Venture Partner in 2022.

Education:

Ohio State University (BS in Biochemistry and Zoology)
Ohio State University (MD)
Duke University (Residency)
NIH, Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (Post-doctoral fellow, Bethesda)