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Alec Kimmelman Named Perlmutter Cancer Center Director at NYU Langone Health Alec Kimmelman, MD, PhD, a renowned researcher and radiation oncologist whose discoveries have created new hope for patients, has been named Director of the Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center at NYU Langone Health. He will also retain his title as the Anita Steckler and Joseph Steckler Chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.FigureAlec Kimmelman, MD, PhD: Alec Kimmelman, MD, PhDKimmelman joined NYU Langone in 2016, growing a roster of top-tier researchers and clinicians that deliver world-class care in cancer treatment. In addition to leading the Department of Radiation Oncology, he also serves on the Executive Management Committee of Perlmutter Cancer Center, co-leads its Cancer Cell Biology Program, and sits on the external advisory boards of the Sanford Burnham Prebys Cancer Center and The Beatson Cancer Center. Since 2021, Kimmelman has served as the Senior Advisor to the Dean and CEO for Cancer Strategy and Operations at NYU Langone. He is also an internationally renowned researcher on the biology of pancreatic cancer and received a 2023 Drug Discovery Award from the Mark Foundation for Cancer Research to accelerate the conversion of promising scientific discoveries into therapeutics that will benefit people with cancer. “This is an incredible opportunity,” said Kimmelman. “My time leading the Department of Radiation Oncology has given me the chance to collaborate with excellent teams all across the institution. I am confident that together we will continue to lead the charge in developing new treatments and providing our patients with the world-class care for which we are known. The considerable talent we have already attracted to Perlmutter Cancer Center makes clear that this is one of the most exciting cancer programs anywhere.” Kimmelman is a world leader in the cancer metabolism field and has made critical discoveries that have identified novel metabolic pathways in pancreatic cancer. His research focuses on the unique metabolism of pancreatic cancers to understand how they use various fuel sources to power their growth. “Dr. Kimmelman's work consistently and clearly demonstrates all of the necessary talents and skills needed to effectively lead our cancer program into the future,” said Robert I. Grossman, MD, Dean and CEO of NYU Langone Health. “Perlmutter Cancer Center's groundbreaking cancer research, state-of-the-art treatment, and impactful prevention and education programs are exemplars of our institution's exceptionalism. We are confident that the center will continue this upward trajectory under Dr. Kimmelman's leadership.” Fund for Collaborative Research Imaging Grant Awardees Announced The American College of Radiology (ACR) awarded two teams the 2023 Fund for Collaborative Research in Imaging (FCRI) grant, a one-time investment to fuel compelling, innovative research that may advance the practice of radiology. The selected teams—determined through an extensive review process—are Amir Iravani, MD, and Delphine Chen, MD, from the University of Washington; Elizabeth Sadowski, MD, from the University of Wisconsin Madison; and Caroline Reinhold, MD, from the McGill University Montreal.Amir Iravani, MD: Amir Iravani, MDDelphine Chen, MD: Delphine Chen, MDElizabeth Sadowski, MD: Elizabeth Sadowski, MDCaroline Reinhold, MD: Caroline Reinhold, MD“We're excited for and supportive of the FCRI awardees for 2023 and are happy to be contributing to the field of theranostics and research registries with these projects, respectively,” said Etta Pisano, MD, FACR, ACR Chief Research Officer. “The FCRI is a valuable mechanism for researchers to accomplish a proof of concept that can then lead to innovative outcomes in the field of radiology. We look forward to working with Doctors Chen and Iravani, and Doctors Sadowski and Reinhold, completing their projects successfully, and collaborating on future research.” Iravani and Chen will study PSMA theranostics and molecular imaging biomarkers and the critical knowledge gaps that prevent the ability to move forward with implementing biomarkers in multicenter clinical trials and clinical practice. The preliminary thresholds and criteria developed in this study in collaboration with ACR will be applied in a multicenter repository database for external validation and potential incorporation into clinical practice and trials. Sadowski and Reinhold will create an Ovarian-Adnexal Reporting and Data System (O-RADS) research repository. The overall goal of the registry is to provide a large cohort of curated cases with clinical data that can be utilized by multiple investigators for future studies aimed at assessing diagnostic accuracy, clinical outcomes, health care disparities, population health, and studies involving AI and machine learning. Awardees are selected from ACR member applicants working on projects related to the domains of the college's research committees: molecular imaging, pediatric imaging, cardiothoracic radiology, neuroradiology, head injury, and interventional radiology. Experts in Transplantation, Engineered Cells, & Pediatrics Join Roswell Park Cell Therapy Program Three physician-scientists have joined Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center to apply highly specialized transplantation and cell therapy (TCT) expertise to both patient care and the development of New York State's first cell therapy manufacturing and research hub. Brian Betts, MD, has joined Roswell Park as Vice Chair of Strategic Initiatives within the Transplant & Cellular Therapy Section of the Department of Medicine. Betts came from the faculty of the University of Minnesota, where he did his internal medicine residency. After earning his medical degree from Eastern Virginia Medical School, he went on to complete a fellowship in medical oncology and hematology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Betts has done extensive research on ways to prevent and reduce graft-versus-host disease and other complications of stem cell transplant, as well as development of engineered T-cell therapies for cancer.Brian Betts, MD: Brian Betts, MD“I chose stem cell transplantation and immunology mainly because I like the science behind it, and also because I can actually do stuff in the lab and bring it to patients and see advances happen in real time,” Betts said. Kanwaldeep Mallhi, MD, was named Associate Professor of Oncology and Clinical Director of Pediatric Transplantation and Cellular Therapy in the Department of Pediatrics. She is a pediatric hematologist/oncologist with the Roswell Park Oishei Children's Pediatric Cancer and Blood Disorders Program, specializing in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and cellular therapies such as immunotherapy and gene therapy for children and adolescents with hematologic cancers and nonmalignant blood disorders.Kanwaldeep Mallhi, MD: Kanwaldeep Mallhi, MDMallhi joins Roswell Park as Clinical Director of the Pediatric TCT Program from Seattle Children's Hospital and the Fred Hutchinson Comprehensive Cancer Center. She will also hold a faculty position at the University at Buffalo's Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. “My goal is to expand access to curative therapies for children, adolescents, and young adults with nonmalignant disorders and provide innovative treatments such as gene therapy for sickle cell disease, thalassemia, and primary immunodeficiencies,” said Mallhi, whose clinical expertise centers on cellular therapy treatments for high-risk hematologic cancers and nonmalignant disorders, such as hemoglobinopathies, bone marrow failure syndromes, inherited inborn errors of metabolism, and primary immunodeficiency disorders. Shernan Holtan, MD, will join the Roswell Park faculty in February as Chief of Blood and Marrow Transplant in the Department of Medicine. She will join Roswell Park after working at the University of Minnesota's Masonic Cancer Center. In this position, she was Chair of the Allogeneic Transplant and Regenerative Medicine Disease Oriented Committee and principal investigator on a major Blood and Marrow Transplant Clinical Trials Network grant.Shernan Holtan, MD: Shernan Holtan, MD“Dr. Holtan has spearheaded practice-changing work in the prevention of graft-versus-host disease,” Betts said. “Her clinical discoveries led to important new research published in the New England Journal of Medicine, and she'll continue to pioneer ways to reduce organ toxicity and relapse after transplantation and to expand transplant and cell therapies for nonmalignant conditions.” “We could hardly be more proud or excited about the team we're building at Roswell Park,” noted Renier Brentjens, MD, PhD, Roswell Park's Deputy Director and Chair of Medicine. “Brian, Kanwal, and Shernan are exceptional physicians-scientists who've already done incredible work to make these new therapies work for more patients. Their addition to the Roswell Park faculty makes our program one of the most comprehensive teams in academic cell therapy.” Dario Altieri, MD, Recognized as One of Philadelphia's Most Admired CEOs Dario C. Altieri, MD, The Wistar Institute's President and CEO, Director of the institue's Ellen and Ronald Caplan Cancer Center, and the Robert & Penny Fox Distinguished Professor, is a recipient of the 2023 Most Admired CEO Awards recognized by the Philadelphia Business Journal for his leadership and service to Wistar. This honor recognizes select leaders from the Greater Philadelphia area “who have earned respect from within and outside their companies and are leaving a mark on Greater Philadelphia and beyond.”Dario C. Altieri, MD: Dario C. Altieri, MD“I'm honored and delighted to receive this award,” said Altieri. “I've had the privilege to lead The Wistar Institute for 8 years now, and I continue to be inspired by all the people I have the privilege to work with at Wistar. To be recognized this way is truly a great personal and professional honor.” Since 2015, Altieri has served as Wistar's President and CEO while continuing to run both the NCI-designated Ellen and Ronald Caplan Cancer Center at Wistar and his research laboratory, which investigates the role of mitochondria in cancer and is recognized for having discovered the survivin gene, a fundamental cancer gene. Under his leadership, the institute has continued to steadily grow research impact and innovation, development of a diverse and well-trained workforce, and creation of an inclusive ecosystem for the life sciences in our region. “Dario's leadership has taken Wistar to new heights,” said Maureen Murphy, MD, Deputy Director of the Ellen and Ronald Caplan Cancer Center and Ira Brind Professor and program leader of Wistar's Molecular & Cellular Oncogenesis Program. “I speak for all the faculty here when I say that we're lucky to have such a stellar leader.” Katy Rezvani, MD, Receives Award From American Society of Hematology Katy Rezvani, MD, PhD, Professor of Stem Cell Transplantation & Cellular Therapy at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, has been honored with the E. Donnall Thomas Lecture and Prize from the American Society of Hematology (ASH) for her groundbreaking research to develop and advance innovative cell therapies for cancer using natural killer (NK) cells.Katy Rezvani, MD, PhD: Katy Rezvani, MD, PhD“I am fortunate to be able to engage in research that I am passionate about, mentor incredible young scientists, and collaborate with a remarkable team of researchers and clinicians. But most importantly, I am blessed to have the opportunity to undertake research that has the potential to impact positively on the lives of people with cancer,” Rezvani said. “I am truly honored and grateful to my peers and colleagues at ASH for this distinguished recognition.” The E. Donnall Thomas Lecture and Prize is named after the late Nobel laureate and past ASH President, E. Donnall Thomas, MD. The prize is one of seven Honorific Awards presented this year by ASH, and it recognizes pioneering research achievements in the field that have led to a significant discovery or paradigm shift. As a physician-scientist with a global reputation in tumor immunology and immunotherapy, Rezvani's research seeks to harness the potential of cell therapies, particularly chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) NK cells engineered for enhanced cancer cell recognition and elimination. Since joining MD Anderson in 2012, her lab has remained at the forefront of this research, specializing in novel strategies utilizing genetically modified NK cells isolated from umbilical cord blood. These investigational therapies have yielded promising results in early trials, including strong responses in the first clinical trial evaluating CD19-targeting CAR NK cells for patients with advanced leukemia and lymphoma. Rezvani's lab continues to innovate CAR NK cell therapies, improving their effectiveness against hematologic and solid tumors, and employing innovative approaches such as CRISPR gene editing to enhance the potency of NK cells. Additionally, they are developing T-cell receptor NK cell therapies to target intracellular antigens. Her work has fostered multiple strategic collaborations between MD Anderson and leading biopharmaceutical companies. “Katy's commitment to exploring new pathways to treating cancer with CAR NK cell therapy is a perfect example of how we are advancing breakthroughs to drive meaningful progress in our mission to end cancer,” said Giulio Draetta, MD, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer at MD Anderson. “We applaud her exceptional science and her dedication to identifying novel treatment strategies, and we applaud her for this well-deserved recognition.” UTSW Among First in Nation to Offer Biology-Guided Radiotherapy UT Southwestern Medical Center's Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center is among the first in the nation and the first in Texas to offer radiation treatments using a new technology that combines positron emission tomography (PET) imaging with radiotherapy to precisely treat bone and lung cancers. SCINTIX biology-guided radiotherapy (BgRT), delivered by the RefleXion X1 unit, is an option for patients with primary and metastatic bone and lung cancers. Using a radioactive tracer that interacts with cancer cells to produce photonic signals from emissions, the system makes tumors their own worst enemy by using cancer's acquired activity to specifically target diseased tissue. “In essence, we are now able to assess the exact location of one or multiple tumors, as well as their individual biological signatures,” said Aurelie Garant, MD, Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology and member of the Simmons Cancer Center who leads the Brachytherapy Program. “Given that not all tumors are created equal, biology-guided radiotherapy provides us with the unique opportunity to target the areas that are most biologically active, while sparing normal tissues.”Aurelie Garant, MD: Aurelie Garant, MDApproximately 430,000 people in the U.s. are diagnosed annually with tumors originating within or spreading to the lungs or bones. Until now, treating multiple targets has been challenging due to workflows in the way traditional radiation therapy is delivered, but this new technology may provide an effective way to treat multiple targets seen in PET scans. The novel technology uses each cancer's biologic processes to determine how much radiation to deliver, even if the target moves. The X1 continuously constructs a map from emissions data to target the locations for beamlets of radiation, delivered with sub-second speed. At the same time, SCINTIX tracks tumor motion generated by internal processes such as breathing and digestion, as well as movement by patients. This accurate tracking may reduce the amount of radiation to healthy cells that surround cancerous tissue. “Owing to the tumor's continuous emission of a distinct signal at fractional-second intervals, SCINTIX possesses the advanced capability to detect these unique emissions. This innovation enables us to provide our patients with a revolutionary radiation treatment technology,” said Arnold Pompos, PhD, Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology. “It is designed to precisely target and administer therapeutic radiation to the tumor, adapting in real time to its movement. This approach represents the fulfillment of a critical objective in oncological care: the ability to accurately track and effectively treat moving tumors.”Arnold Pompos, PhD: Arnold Pompos, PhD“Biology-guided radiotherapy is an excellent demonstration of multiple technologies merging into one treatment modality,” said Robert Timmerman, MD, Chair and Professor of Radiation Oncology and member of the Simmons Cancer Center and the Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute. “This technology will likely broaden the scope of scenarios where radiotherapy may play a critical role.”Robert Timmerman, MD: Robert Timmerman, MDMario E. Lacouture, MD, Named New Chief of NYU Langone Dermatology Division Mario E. Lacouture, MD, has been named the new Chief of the Dermatology Division in the Department of Medicine at NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island. He will receive an academic appointment as Professor of Medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and serve as Medical Director of the Symptom Management Program at the Perlmutter Cancer Center on Long Island.Mario E. Lacouture, MD: Mario E. Lacouture, MD“We are pleased to have Dr. Lacouture joining us as a foremost expert in oncodermatology, a subspecialty that focuses on the dermatological side effects of cancers and how to manage these symptoms in patients,” said Joseph J. Greco, MD, Senior Vice Presiden and Chief of Hospital Operations at NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island. “The opportunity aligns with my commitment to high-quality, accessible care and my fondness for the people of the Island,” said Lacouture. “In addition, I will build on our experience improving cancer patients' quality of life by preventing and treating skin issues during treatment, so that now more people can access our compassionate, specialized care for side effects, with a focus on the whole patient.” Before joining NYU Langone Health, Lacouture was an Attending Physician and Program Director of Oncodermatology and Research in the Dermatology Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. He was also a Professor in the Department of Dermatology at Weill Cornell Medicine. 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Scientific research is even when it to see which is this is so meaningful to The is PhD, Assistant Professor of Biomedical & and the Assistant Professor of Cancer Data Research at She is recognized for developing a of and that and machine to in the tumor PhD: novel are applied to data from and imaging and cancer Her work has in responses and that tumor and to In addition, her innovative have for the first time, of immunotherapy in “This is a significant recognition of our to the of cancer immunology through in machine said “The in Award my and the to continue on the of multiple to cancer immunology This will me and my team to new collaborations and high-risk and in our mission to

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