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Christine M. Lovely, MD, PhD, FASCO, Appointed Head of National Thoracic Oncology Program at City of Hope City of Hope announced that internationally recognized physician-scientist Christine M. Lovly, MD, PhD, FASCO, will spearhead the development of its new national thoracic oncology program.Christine M. Lovely, MD, PhD, FASCOLovly will be Division Chief of Thoracic Medical Oncology, Professor in the Department of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research at City of Hope National Medical Center, and will hold the Dr. Norman and Melinda Payson Professorship in Medical Oncology. “I believe the future of lung cancer care lies in precision medicine and team-based collaboration, and City of Hope is the ideal place to bring that vision to life,” Lovly said. “I look forward to working alongside world-class clinicians and researchers to build a program that truly serves patients and their families.” Renuka Iyer, MD, Named New Chief Medical Officer for NCCN The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) announced the hiring of Renuka Iyer, MD, as the new Chief Medical Officer (CMO) for the organization.Renuka Iyer, MDIyer has a long history of leadership and innovation in oncology. She currently serves as a Professor of Oncology for Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center as well as Section Chief of Gastrointestinal Oncology and Vice Chair of Faculty Affairs in Roswell Park's Department of Medicine, and Medical Director for Medical Oncology across the Roswell Park Care Network. “I am honored to be chosen for this prestigious position and excited to be at NCCN during a time when there are so many updates and opportunities to innovate how we deliver information to help our patients,” said Iyer. “After 21 years in academic oncology, I welcome the opportunity to advance high-quality cancer care and to help build bridges to further the NCCN mission.” MD Anderson Launches Philanthropic Campaign, Only Possible Here, The Campaign to End Cancer The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center launched its historic $2.5 billion comprehensive philanthropic campaign, Only Possible Here, The Campaign to End Cancer. The campaign represents the largest fundraising effort in MD Anderson's 84-year history, bringing together philanthropic support from around the world to advance the institution's mission to end cancer. “We are in an era of cancer care and research like no other—when the possibility to end cancer is achievable,” said Peter WT Pisters, MD, President of MD Anderson. “Together, we are pushing the frontiers of scientific discoveries, advancing new treatments for patients with cancer, and creating hope and opportunity for humanity.”Peter WT Pisters, MDMichele Ardolino, PhD, Leads Pioneering Cancer Immunotherapy Research Michele Ardolino, PhD, backed by a prestigious Terry Fox New Frontiers Program Project Grant, will seek to uncover the hidden mechanisms of how the body's immune system, nervous system, and gut microbiome interact in cancer. Their cross-disciplinary work and innovative approach have the potential to fundamentally reshape cancer treatment.Michele Ardolino, PhD“In the past decade or so, much effort has been invested in finding ways to make immunotherapy effective in patients that do not respond to treatment. However, the success has been modest. In this program, we will try to harness ‘unconventional’ players in anti-cancer immunity to improve the outcomes of immunotherapy,” says Ardolino, Professor in the University of Ottawa's Faculty of Medicine's Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology and Senior Scientist in Cancer Research at The Ottawa Hospital's Research Institute. Matthew Rettig, PhD, Awarded Funding for Cancer Research Center at the VA Matthew Rettig, PhD, and his research team have been awarded a Clinical Cancer Research Center grant from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to establish a new clinical cancer research center that will expand access to precision oncology clinical trials and patient care for veterans across the Southwest United States.Matthew Rettig, PhDThe new center will serve as the central research “hub” for all seven VA medical centers in the Veterans Integrated Service Network region, supporting lung and genitourinary cancers, which are leading causes of death not only in veterans, but also in men more broadly. “I was ecstatic to learn that we were selected for funding,” said Rettig, who is Medical Director of the Prostate Cancer program at University of California, Los Angeles; Chief of Hematology/Oncology at the Greater Los Angeles VA Healthcare System; and investigator at the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. “This funding will go a long way to further grow our clinical trials program for not only our VA but all VA medical centers in our network.” Stuart S. Martin, PhD, Named Chair of the Department of Pharmacology & Physiology at UM School of Medicine Stuart S. Martin, PhD, an internationally recognized breast cancer researcher, has been appointed Chair of the University of Maryland School of Medicine Department of Pharmacology & Physiology.Stuart S. Martin, PhD“During my time on the faculty at the School of Medicine, the highly collaborative environment has always allowed the most compelling science to emerge at the intersections between different fields,” said Martin. “I am enthusiastic to help support the ongoing growth of numerous multidisciplinary collaborations already underway between the faculty and trainees in this department. Our collective focus on defining fundamental physiological mechanisms and developing new therapeutic interventions provides an exciting opportunity to advance discoveries. Likewise, we look forward to partnering with other departments, institutes, and centers to continue building the dynamic research environment at the School of Medicine and develop new treatments for a broad range of medical conditions.” Robert C. Gallo, MD, to Lead USF Health Institute for Translational Virology & Innovation The University of South Florida has launched a new virology institute founded and directed by Robert C. Gallo, MD, best known as co-discoverer of HIV as the cause of AIDS.Robert C. Gallo, MDThe groundbreaking USF Health Institute for Translational Virology and Innovation will advance cutting-edge research to combat viral and immune-related threats worldwide, from virus-associated cancers and HIV to mosquito-borne diseases and pandemic pathogens. Through practical, sustainable solutions, the institute aims to improve human health while strengthening economic resilience in Florida and the United States. “The Institute for Translational Virology and Innovation will deliver high-quality science and innovation with direct relevance to clinical medicine and public health, particularly in viral diseases, virus-associated cancers, and in preparing for future global viral threats,” said Gallo, the James P. Cullison Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases in the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine Department of Internal Medicine. Jonathan D. Licht Elected President & Chief Scientific Officer of Van Andel Institute Van Andel Institute, based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, has appointed internationally recognized physician-scientist Jonathan D. Licht, MD, as President and Chief Scientific Officer.Jonathan D. Licht, MD“I am honored to succeed my friend Dr. Peter Jones as Van Andel Institute's next president and chief scientific officer. Situated in a growing, dynamic city with a burgeoning biomedical enterprise, this unique institution has become one of the most impactful independent centers for biomedical research and training in the world,” Licht said. “I look forward to working with faculty, trainees, staff, and administration to develop new initiatives, including critical intersections among programs in cancer epigenetics, neurodegeneration, and metabolism, and leveraging the strengths of structural and cell biology. Furthermore, I am excited to explore new collaborations between Van Andel Institute and the great medical and academic institutions of Grand Rapids, Michigan, and the Midwest. I am grateful to Mr. Van Andel and the trustees for selecting me to lead the institute in the years ahead.” Mina Sedrak, MD, Earns King Hussein Cancer Research Award's Young Investigator Award Mina Sedrak, MD, Director of the Cancer and Aging Program and Co-Director of Cancer Control and Survivorship Research at the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, has been awarded the King Hussein Cancer Research Award's Young Investigator Award, which recognizes early-career scientists whose research is driving innovative and impactful advances in cancer prevention, detection, diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship.Mina Sedrak, MDSedrak was selected for his work investigating the biological mechanisms of accelerated aging in people with cancer and developing new strategies to prevent or reverse these effects. His research examines how cancer treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation, and targeted therapies can trigger cellular and molecular changes that accelerate aging, leading to frailty, chronic health conditions, and functional decline. “I am deeply honored to receive this recognition,” said Sedrak, Associate Professor of Medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine. “This award reflects our shared commitment to improving not only how long cancer survivors live, but how well they live. Cancer treatments save lives, but they can also accelerate aging in ways that reduce quality of life. My goal is to develop therapies that protect patients from these effects and help them stay strong, independent, and engaged in the lives they love.” Omar Abdel-Wahab, MD, Elected to the Prestigious National Academy of Medicine Omar Abdel-Wahab, MD, Chair of the Molecular Pharmacology Program at Sloan Kettering Institute, Evnin Family Chair in Molecular Pharmacology, and attending physician on the Leukemia Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, has been elected to the National Academy of Medicine, one of the most prestigious honors in the fields of health and medicine.Omar Abdel-Wahab, MDAbdel-Wahab leads The Omar Abdel-Wahab Lab where he and his team focus on understanding and targeting the somatic mutations driving hematologic malignancies. As a pioneering physician-scientist, Abdel-Wahab has made significant contributions to uncovering the genetic causes of blood cancers and translating these discoveries into therapeutic advances. Thomas George Named Interim Director of UF Health Cancer Institute Thomas George, MD, FACP, FASCO, an accomplished gastrointestinal medical oncologist and nationally known expert in clinical research, has been named Interim Director of the University of Florida Health Cancer Institute.Thomas George, MD, FACP, FASCO“With our institute's upward trajectory, we have a clear responsibility and an incredible opportunity to make an enduring difference for the patients we serve in Florida and beyond,” George said. “I am truly honored and humbled to take on this role with an incredible leadership team. We have established ourselves as a nationally recognized force driving cancer research by engaging many of the best minds from across all 16 UF colleges, from Engineering to Medicine. I could not be more excited to contribute to further elevating our cancer research and clinical programs.” Roswell Park Achieves National Accreditation for Rectal Cancer Care Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center announced the recent accreditation of its rectal cancer program by the National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer (NAPRC). This distinction signifies that Roswell Park meets the highest national standards in the surgical care of people with rectal cancer and is recognized as an American College of Surgeons Surgical Quality Partner. “Earning NAPRC accreditation is a significant milestone that reaffirms Roswell Park's leadership in providing world-class care for patients with rectal cancer,” said Anthony Dakwar, MD, FACS, FASCRS, Medical Director of Perioperative Services at Roswell Park. “This designation reflects the exceptional collaboration among our surgical, medical, and radiation oncology teams and our ongoing commitment to delivering evidence-based, multidisciplinary care that improves outcomes and quality of life for our patients.”Anthony Dakwar, MD, FACS, FASCRSPentecost Foundation Donation to Moffitt Cancer Center Fuels Push Toward a Myeloma Cure The Pentecost Foundation made a generous donation to Moffitt Cancer Center to push towards a cure for multiple myeloma. Mark Pentecost, a Moffitt patient himself, has experienced the transformation in multiple myeloma care firsthand, saying, “The leaps I've seen, from my first diagnosis to the treatment options available now, are nothing short of extraordinary. Every step forward at Moffitt is the result of relentless research and innovation. That's why we give, and why we believe that, together, we'll see a cure.” “We are deeply grateful to the Pentecost family for their incredible support and generosity,” said Patrick Hwu, MD, President and CEO of Moffitt Cancer Center. “Every breakthrough we make brings real hope to patients and families facing cancer. This gift propels that hope forward and brings us closer to transforming outcomes for countless lives.”Patrick Hwu, MDShare Your News! Send information on career developments and cancer center news for this column to [email protected]

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