POWER OF ATTORNEY

	For Executing Forms 3, 4 and 5

           Know all by these presents, that the undersigned hereby
           constitutes and appoints Jonathan Lewis and Richard E.
           Bagley, signing individually, his true and lawful attorneys-
           in-fact to:

1.	Execute for and on behalf of the undersigned Initial
 Statements of Beneficial Ownership of Securities on Form 3,
Statements of Changes of Beneficial Ownership of Securities
on Form 4 and Annual Statements of Beneficial Ownership of
Securities on Form 5, for the purpose of reporting
transactions by the undersigned in securities issued by
Ziopharm Oncology, Inc. in accordance with Section 16(a) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules
thereunder;

2.	Do and perform any and all acts for and on behalf of
the undersigned which may be necessary or desirable to
complete the execution of any such Form 3, 4 or 5 and the
timely filing thereof with the United States Securities and
Exchange Commission and any other applicable governmental or
regulatory authority; and

3.	Take any other action of any type whatsoever in
connection with the foregoing which in the opinion of such
attorney-in-fact, may be of benefit to, in the best interest
of, or legally required by, the undersigned, it being
understood that the documents executed by such attorney-in-
fact on behalf of the undersigned pursuant to this Power of
Attorney shall be in such form and shall contain such terms
and conditions as such attorney-in-fact may approve in his
discretion.


           The undersigned hereby grants to each such attorney-in-fact
           full power and authority to do and perform all and every act
           and thing whatsoever requisite, necessary and proper to be
           done in the exercise of any of the rights and powers herein
           granted, as fully to all intents and purposes as such
           attorney-in-fact might or could do if personally
           present, with full power of substitution or revocation,
           hereby ratifying and confirming all that such attorney-
           in-fact, or his substitute or substitutes, shall lawfully
           do or cause to be done by virtue of this power of attorney
           and the rights and powers herein granted.  The undersigned
           acknowledges that the foregoing attorneys-in-fact, in
           serving in such capacity at the request of the
           undersigned, are not assuming any of the undersigned's
           responsibilities to comply with Section 16 of the
           Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

           This Power of Attorney shall remain in full force and effect
           until the undersigned is no longer required to file Forms 3,
           4 and 5 with respect to the undersigned's holdings of and
           transactions in securities issued by Ziopharm Oncology,
           Inc., unless earlier revoked by the undersigned in a
           signed writing delivered to the foregoing attorneys-in-fact.

           IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Power
           of Attorney as of this  24  day of June, 2009.

			/s/ Michael Weiser

			(signature)

			_Michael Weiser  _