Drs. John P. Leonard, Mark A. Rubin and E. Darracott Vaughan, leaders in oncology at Weill Cornell Medical College, have joined Dr. Andrew J. Dannenberg, director of the Weill Cornell Cancer Center, to assist in the development and implementation of the Cancer Center's strategic goal of advancing cancer research, prevention and treatment.
Dr. John P. Leonard
"With the appointment of these talented investigators to the Weill Cornell Cancer Center, our program can build on facilitating interactions between physicians and researchers from a wide variety of fields, creating synergies that might not otherwise exist to further cancer research," noted Dr. Dannenberg, the Henry R. Erle, M.D.–Roberts Family Professor of Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College. "The key to the success of the Cancer Center initiative is collaboration and team science," he said.
Dr. John P. Leonard, the Richard T. Silver Distinguished Professor of Hematology and Medical Oncology, and professor of medicine, Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Medical Oncology, has been appointed associate director for clinical research. Dr. Leonard leads one of the country's premier lymphoma services and is a noted clinical trials researcher. He serves as director the Division of Hematology/Medical Oncology's clinical trials office. In his new role Dr. Leonard will develop the divisional office into the Weill Cornell Cancer Center's clinical research management office, which is an essential element in a successful National Cancer Institute Cancer Center Support Grant application.
Dr. E. Darracott Vaughan
Dr. Mark A. Rubin has been appointed associate director for translational research. Dr. Rubin, a prominent prostate cancer investigator, joined Weill Cornell Medical College in 2007. He is professor of pathology and laboratory medicine, vice chairman for experimental pathology, and director of Translational Research Laboratory Services. For the past 10 years his laboratory work has focused on the development of molecular prostate cancer biomarkers; nationally, he has focused on the development of standards in the field of translational research as part of the National Cancer Institute Prostate Cancer SPOREs Program, at the University of Michigan Cancer Center and at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Dr. Rubin will guide the Weill Cornell Cancer Center's efforts to build disease-specific translational research projects and programs.
Dr. E. Darracott Vaughan, the James J. Colt Professor of Urology and senior associate dean for clinical affairs at Weill Cornell Medical College, has been appointed associate director for clinical affairs in the Cancer Center. He will play a pivotal role in coordinating the clinical activities of all oncology-related departments and services at Weill Cornell and will serve as the liaison between the administration of Weill Cornell Medical College, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell, and the medical staff. As the Cancer Center enters an intense phase of planning for the future of cancer care, Dr. Vaughan's leadership and knowledge will help advance its goal of excellence in the care of cancer patients.
"This is an important and exciting step in the development of the Weill Cornell Cancer Center," Dr. Dannenberg said. "With these appointments we are furthering our deep-seated commitment to synergistic cancer research."