Moffitt Cancer Center Names Patrick Hwu, M.D., as President and CEO

TAMPA, Fla., Aug. 20, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- World-renowned tumor immunologist Patrick Hwu, M.D., has been appointed the new president and CEO of Moffitt Cancer Center. He joins Moffitt from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, where he is the division head of Cancer Medicine. Hwu begins his new role at Moffitt on Nov. 10.

"Dr. Hwu is truly a cancer visionary ready to elevate Moffitt to even greater success," said Tim Adams, chair of Moffitt's Institute Board of Directors. "Drawing from his innovative cancer research, quality patient care and extensive leadership experience, Dr. Hwu will no doubt continue to help Moffitt in our pursuit of dynamic growth and groundbreaking work."

"It is my distinct honor and privilege to be selected as the next president and CEO of Moffitt Cancer Center, which has made unprecedented strides in its 34 years in the prevention and treatment of cancer," Hwu said. "I look forward to bringing my years of experience as a cancer physician, researcher and leader to help advance the outstanding work already underway by the teams of cancer experts at Florida's top-ranked cancer hospital. I'm confident that our collective efforts will further elevate Moffitt's leadership in cancer patient care, research and education."

Hwu brings 33 years of oncology experience to Moffitt. He held various leadership roles during 17 years at MD Anderson, including chair of the Department of Sarcoma Medical Oncology and co-director of the Center for Cancer Immunology Research. He was the first chair of the Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology. Known for leading transformative research into the clinic, Hwu helped pioneer the field of gene modified T cells, publishing research on the first chimeric antigen receptor directed against cancer. His work focuses on vaccines, adoptive T-cell therapies and immune resistance. He is the principal investigator on a National Institutes of Health SPORE grant for melanoma and has more than 270 peer-reviewed publications.

Hwu is vice president/president elect at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer, serves on the Melanoma Research Alliance Foundation Medical Advisory Panel in Washington, D.C., and is a member of numerous scientific advisory boards throughout the U.S.

"Dr. Patrick Hwu is a nationally respected physician-scientist with the vision to lead Moffitt into the future," said founder H. Lee Moffitt. "Coming from the largest cancer center in the country, where he has distinguished himself and produced incredible results, we expect he will successfully guide the Moffitt team through the next generation of cancer treatments and discoveries.

"I'm confident Dr. Hwu will inspire and continue our mission to contribute to the prevention and cure of cancer. Our impact on helping cancer patients will be felt worldwide and, in the process, continue to make Florida proud," Moffitt said.

Russell Reynolds Associates, a global leadership advisory and search firm, led the extensive and competitive national search.

Hwu earned his medical degree from The Medical College of Pennsylvania. He served as a house officer in Internal Medicine at The Johns Hopkins Hospital and completed a fellowship in oncology at the National Cancer Institute.

Click here for Hwu's headshot, campus photos and B-roll.

About Moffitt Cancer Center
Moffitt is dedicated to one lifesaving mission: to contribute to the prevention and cure of cancer. The Tampa-based facility is one of only 51 National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers, a distinction that recognizes Moffitt's scientific excellence, multidisciplinary research, and robust training and education. Moffitt is the No. 11 cancer hospital and has been nationally ranked by U.S. News & World Report since 1999. Moffitt's expert nursing staff is recognized by the American Nurses Credentialing Center with Magnet^® status, its highest distinction. With more than 7,000 team members, Moffitt has an economic impact in the state of $2.4 billion. For more information, call 1-888-MOFFITT (1-888-663-3488), visit MOFFITT.org, and follow the momentum on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. 

SOURCE Moffitt Cancer Center

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