NEW YORK, Oct. 13, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Internationally renowned clinician-scientist Alec Kimmelman, MD, PhD, has been named Chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology at NYU Langone Medical Center. His appointment is effective February 1, 2016.

Dr. Kimmelman joins the Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center at NYU Langone following a distinguished career as Associate Professor in the Departments of Radiation Oncology at Harvard Medical School and its major teaching affiliates, the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women's Hospital. His laboratory has made seminal contributions to the biological underpinnings of pancreatic cancer -- the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the U.S.  Dr. Kimmelman also is a practicing radiation oncologist specializing in the treatment of gastrointestinal cancers.

"We are delighted to welcome Dr. Kimmelman to the NYU Langone family to lead our exceptional team in the Department of Radiation Oncology," said Robert I. Grossman, MD, the Saul J. Farber Dean and CEO of NYU Langone. "His work has greatly advanced the understanding of cancer biology and has set in motion new and promising approaches to treat cancer. We are confident he will enrich our already strong pancreatic cancer program, and help further our commitment to excellence in patient care, research and education at the Perlmutter Cancer Center."

"Alec has devoted his life's work to fighting cancer, both in the clinic, to provide exceptional care, and in the laboratory, to develop tomorrow's standard of care," said Ronald A. DePinho, MD, president of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, who has worked with Dr. Kimmelman for more than a decade to push the frontier of cancer science and treatment. "His seminal discoveries in pancreatic cancer are recognized throughout the world and have led to multiple paradigm-changing clinical trials in a disease with limited therapeutic options. He is a great leader to professionals and a hero to families." 

Joining an Impressive Core of Talent

Dr. Kimmelman is the most recent addition to a growing roster of top-tier researchers and clinicians who have joined the faculty of NYU Langone and its Perlmutter Cancer Center this year.

Earlier this summer, immunotherapy expert Jeffrey S. Weber, MD, PhD, formerly of the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, FL, became deputy director, head of experimental therapeutics and co-director of the melanoma program at Perlmutter.  Andrew S. Chi, MD, PhD, has joined Perlmutter as chief of neuro-oncology and co-director of the NYU Langone Brain Tumor Center, following a distinguished career at Massachusetts General Hospital, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School. And earlier this month, it was announced that Shohei Koide, PhD, will join the Perlmutter Cancer Center early next year as director of its newly-established program in cancer biologics research. He is currently Professor of Biochemistry at University of Chicago.

"I am delighted to join the faculty of NYU Langone Medical Center, the NYU School of Medicine and the Perlmutter Cancer Center," said Dr. Kimmelman.  "The level of talent, the vibrant atmosphere, and the commitment to cutting-edge research and outstanding clinical care were major attractions in my decision. I very much look forward to working with my colleagues in the Department of Radiation Oncology. Together, I am confident we will continue to make advances in treating deadly diseases and will lead the charge to develop novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches."

Research Focus on Pancreatic Cancer

For more than 15 years, Dr. Kimmelman's research has focused on RAS oncogenes, one of the most commonly mutated families of cancer-causing genes. His research team has made seminal contributions to the understanding of the biology of pancreatic cancer, which is driven by "activating" mutations in the KRAS oncogene. Dr. Kimmelman and his colleagues used sophisticated mouse and cellular models to provide one of the first demonstrations that KRAS was required for the continued growth of pancreatic tumors through its role in rewiring cellular metabolism.

His laboratory continues to be at the forefront of studies identifying metabolic adaptations in pancreatic cancer and exploiting them for the development of novel therapeutics. Recent work from his lab on a form of metabolic process called "autophagy" has shown that pancreatic cancers depend on this "self-eating" pathway for proper growth. Based on these studies, multiple clinical trials targeting autophagy are underway world-wide.

"Dr. Kimmelman's work sets the stage for greater understanding of why cancers start and how we can treat them better once they develop," said Benjamin G. Neel, MD, PhD, director of the Perlmutter Cancer Center. "His contributions to the field could be practice-changing; he will be a great addition to our growing cancer team."

About Dr. Kimmelman

An undergraduate alumnus of Cornell University, Dr. Kimmelman earned a dual MD/PhD degree from the Medical Scientist Training Program at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.  He completed his residency in Radiation Oncology at the Harvard Medical School Combined Program, as well as a post-doctoral fellowship in the laboratory of Dr. DePihno.

Dr. Kimmelman is an NIH-funded investigator and has published numerous articles on his research in the leading peer-reviewed journals, including Nature, Cell, Science and Cancer Cell.  He also has served as an editor for peer-reviewed journals, such as Oncogene and PLOS ONE, and on several grant review committees, including those for the NIH.  Dr. Kimmelman has been the recipient of many prestigious awards, including the Ruth Leff Siegel Award from Columbia University for excellence in pancreatic cancer research and was recently inducted into the American Society for Clinical Investigation.

Contact: Jim Mandler, 212-404-3525, jim.mandler@nyumc.org

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SOURCE NYU Langone Medical Center