NEW YORK (April 9, 2021) — Dr. Katharine Hsu, an esteemed physician-scientist who specializes in immunology research and treatment of blood cancers, has been named director of the Tri-Institutional M.D.-Ph.D. Program, a joint program between Weill Cornell Medicine, The Rockefeller University and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
Founded in 1972, the Tri-Institutional M.D.-Ph.D. Program awards a medical degree from Weill Cornell Medical College and a doctorate from either the Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Gerstner Sloan Kettering Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences or The Rockefeller University. The program has trained more than 400 physician-scientists working in a range of areas in clinical medicine, scientific research and education.
In her new role, Dr. Hsu will work to diversify matriculating classes and train students to become skilled leaders as both clinicians and biomedical researchers, bridging the two areas and bolstering the vital partnership that leads to breakthroughs in medicine. Dr. Hsu will succeed Dr. Olaf Andersen, who has directed the program for 25 years, blending the cultures of the three institutions into one expanded training program and boosting its national profile.
“As a prominent physician-scientist with a distinguished background in both clinical care and scientific research, Dr. Hsu brings with her invaluable experience and knowledge, as well as an enduring commitment to diversity in academic medicine,” said Dr. Augustine M.K. Choi, the Stephen and Suzanne Weiss Dean of Weill Cornell Medicine. “An alumna of the program herself and a respected member of the Weill Cornell Medicine and Memorial Sloan Kettering communities, Dr. Hsu is perfectly poised to take on the role of director of the Tri-Institutional M.D.-Ph.D. Program.”
“Dr. Hsu’s unwavering dedication to the care of her patients, advancement of scientific research and the training of a generation of diverse physician-researchers, combined with her experience as a graduate of this program, makes her an exceptional choice to lead the Tri-Institutional M.D.-Ph.D. Program,” said Dr. Craig B. Thompson, president and chief executive officer of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. “Her vast experience, deep knowledge and visionary leadership will continue to build this program’s excellence and foster an inclusive learning environment with opportunities for people from historically underrepresented groups.”
“Dr. Hsu is herself an exemplar of the impact physician-scientists can have in biomedicine; she well understands the crucial role that graduates of this dual-degree program will play in the next generation of biomedical research,” said Richard P. Lifton, president of The Rockefeller University. “Coupled with the respect she commands in the Tri-Institutional community and her strong commitment to increasing diversity in both medicine and science, she will be a great leader for the program, building on Dr. Andersen’s legacy of excellence.”
“Physician-scientists play an extremely important role, not only in terms of asking and answering questions, but also bridging the communities of patient care and biomedical research,” said Dr. Hsu, who is a professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine and an attending hematologist and oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. “The Tri-Institutional M.D.-Ph.D. Program has a distinguished legacy of bridging those communities, training aspiring physician-scientists who can speak and understand both the language of disease and of molecular processes. I am grateful to Dr. Andersen, whose incredible leadership has driven the program’s excellence, and am excited to build on his work and continue to develop one of the most competitive programs in the country.”
Through a rigorous course of study and access to research mentors in top laboratories at all three institutions, the Tri-Institutional M.D.-Ph.D. Program seeks to prepare its students to serve as leaders in the field of biomedical research, while also promoting communication and collaboration among the partner institutions. With their unique educational experience, graduates can then apply their scientific knowledge to their clinical work, seamlessly going from bench to bedside, to advance innovations in medicine and healthcare.
The program in 2018 received a perfect score on its Medical Scientist Training Program grant renewal application by the National Institutes of Health, which provides stipends, tuition allowance and other funds to students who are pursuing the combined M.D.-Ph.D. degree. Weill Cornell Medicine is currently one of the top-ranked medical schools in the nation for number of students graduating with combined degrees, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges.
Dr. Hsu will prioritize working to increase racial, ethnic, socioeconomic and gender diversity of the M.D.-Ph.D. classes, so that students and graduates represent the population as a whole. “We want to ensure we are building a future community of physicians and scientists who are going to understand not only the medical and scientific challenges in their patient population, but also the social and economic challenges that patients experience,” she said.
As an alumna, Dr. Hsu also feels a strong sense of kinship with current students that will inform how she leads the program. “Because I can empathize with the students,” she said, “I’ll be better positioned to address their needs and help them succeed.”
Dr. Hsu earned her doctorate in cell biology in 1993 from Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, where she studied in the laboratory of Dr. Moses Chao, and earned a medical degree in 1994 from Weill Cornell Medical College. She went on to complete an internship and residency in internal medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and a post-doctoral fellowship in hematology and oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering before joining its faculty.
Dr. Hsu studies natural human killer cells and their role in recognizing and killing cancer cells and cells infected with viruses. Her findings on the genetics and biology of these cells have contributed to treatments of cancers, including leukemia and neuroblastoma. As a clinician, Dr. Hsu treats patients with bone marrow disorders, leukemias and lymphomas, and she currently sees patients as an attending in the inpatient Bone Marrow Transplantation Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering.
Dr. Hsu has published numerous studies in high-impact journals such as the New England Journal of Medicine and the Journal of Clinical Oncology. In 2019, Dr. Hsu was recognized with the Weill Cornell Graduate School Alumni Award of Distinction. She was also inducted to the American Society for Clinical Investigation in 2012 and received the Leukemia & Lymphoma Scholar Award in 2016.
About Weill Cornell Medicine
Weill Cornell Medicine is committed to excellence in patient care, scientific discovery and the education of future physicians in New York City and around the world. The doctors and scientists of Weill Cornell Medicine—faculty from Weill Cornell Medical College, Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, and Weill Cornell Physician Organization—are engaged in world-class clinical care and cutting-edge research that connect patients to the latest treatment innovations and prevention strategies. Located in the heart of the Upper East Side’s scientific corridor, Weill Cornell Medicine’s powerful network of collaborators extends to its parent university Cornell University; to Qatar, where Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar offers a Cornell University medical degree; and to programs in Tanzania, Haiti, Brazil, Austria and Turkey. Weill Cornell Medicine faculty provide comprehensive patient care at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, NewYork-Presbyterian Lower Manhattan Hospital, NewYork-Presbyterian Queens and NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital. Weill Cornell Medicine is also affiliated with Houston Methodist. For more information, visit weill.cornell.edu.
About Memorial Sloan Kettering
As the world’s oldest and largest private cancer center, Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK) has devoted more than 135 years to exceptional patient care, influential educational programs, and innovative research to discover more effective strategies to prevent, control, and ultimately, cure cancer. MSK is home to more than 20,000 physicians, scientists, nurses, and staff united by a relentless dedication to conquering cancer. Today, we are one of 51 National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers, with state-of-the-art science and technology supporting groundbreaking clinical studies, personalized treatment, and compassionate care for our patients. We also train the next generation of clinical and scientific leaders in oncology through our continually evolving educational programs, here and around the world. Year after year, we are ranked among the top two cancer hospitals in the country, consistently recognized for our expertise in adult and pediatric oncology specialties. www.mskcc.org
About The Rockefeller University
The Rockefeller University is one of the world’s leading biomedical research universities and is dedicated to conducting innovative, high-quality research to improve the understanding of life for the benefit of humanity. Rockefeller’s 75 laboratories conduct research in neuroscience, immunology, biochemistry, genomics and many other areas, and a community of over 2,000 faculty, students, postdocs, technicians, clinicians, and administrative personnel work on the university’s 16-acre Manhattan campus. Rockefeller’s unique approach to science has led to some of the world’s most revolutionary and transformative contributions to biology and medicine. During Rockefeller’s 120-year history, 26 Rockefeller scientists have won Nobel Prizes, 24 have won Albert Lasker Medical Research Awards and 20 have garnered the National Medal of Science, the highest science award given by the United States.