Division of Hematology/Oncology Transition
Dear Colleagues:
After serving with distinction as chief of the division of hematology and medical oncology in the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons Department of Medicine, and as deputy director of the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center (HICCC), Gary K. Schwartz, MD, will be leaving at the end of March to lead the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center based at Case Western Reserve University and the Cleveland Clinic. We want to thank Dr. Schwartz for his wonderful contributions to the medical school and NewYork-Presbyterian and congratulate him on this opportunity to assume a new leadership role at one of our highly regarded peer institutions. Dawn Hershman, MD, MS, an American Cancer Society Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology, director of the Breast Cancer Program, co-leader of the Population Science Program (HICCC) and deputy director of HICCC, will be taking over from Dr. Schwartz on April 1, 2023, as interim chief of the hematology/oncology division.
Dr. Schwartz is nationally recognized for his translational and clinical research, including studies focusing on understanding the mechanisms underlying cell cycle and cell death to improve the effectiveness of available treatments. His approach in bench-top to bedside research has focused on the development of novel therapies for a wide range of malignancies, including gastrointestinal cancers, especially sarcoma, and melanoma. His laboratory programs have been supported by the National Cancer Institute with R01 and Sarcoma SPORE grants as well as grant funding from the FDA and the DOD.
During his time at Columbia, Dr. Schwartz has been principal investigator of the Minority/Underserved Site NCI Community Oncology Research Program and co-principal investigator of the T32 training grant in molecular oncology. His mentorship of house staff and fellows at CUIMC earned him the Ewing Award, and he has dedicated himself to mentoring clinician-scientists who have ultimately developed their own productive academic careers. He has served on the NCI Investigational Drug Steering Committee and NCI’s Experimental Therapeutics Program (NExT), as well as editorial boards of various scientific journals.
Dawn Hershman, MD, MS, is one of the outstanding leaders on our faculty, and we are fortunate that she has agreed to take on the role of interim division chief. As vice chair of the SWOG Cancer Research Network, Dr. Hershman oversees the NCI’s Community Oncology Research Programs (NCORP) research portfolio. She has been recognized for her commitment to supporting the career advancement of junior colleagues with the Women Who Conquer Cancer Mentorship Award and the CUIMC Mentor of the Year Award. She has been elected to the American Society of Clinical Investigation and the Association of American Physicians.
Please join us in congratulating Dr. Schwartz and thanking him for his many important contributions to the division of hematology and medical oncology, the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, our research programs, clinical practice, and mentorship initiatives. We will plan a celebration to honor him in the upcoming weeks. Please also join us in thanking Dr. Hershman, welcoming her as interim division chief, and wishing her well in this new role.
Sincerely yours,
Katrina Armstrong, MD
Dean of the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons
Executive Vice President for Health and Biomedical Sciences, Columbia University
Donald W. Landry, MD, PhD
Chair, Department of Medicine
Physician-in-Chief, NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center
Anil K. Rustgi, MD
Herbert and Florence Irving Director of the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center
Chief of Cancer Services, NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center