Dr. Monica Bertagnolli has been selected as the next Director of the National Cancer Institute at … [+]
The Biden administration has chosen a new director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Renowned cancer surgeon Dr. Monica Bertagnolli, who practices at Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, MA will become the 16th Director in the history of the institute.
The news was first reported by STAT and means that the 63-year old will become the first woman director of the institute since it’s inception in 1937. Bertagnolli previously served as the president of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, among other prestigious roles.
In addition to her clinical work, Bertagnolli is a Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School, specializing in gastrointestinal cancers. She also runs a lab focusing on a defective gene which contributes to gastrointestinal cancer development.
“Dr. Bertagnolli brings impressive qualifications to this vital position, including her background as a top-tier physician-scientist and much admired professor,” said Margaret Foti, PhD, MD , chief executive officer of the American Association for Cancer Research in a statement.
Bertagnolli will oversee the NCIs $6.9 billion 2022 budget allocation, making it the largest of the 27 agencies of the National Institutes of Health, headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland.
“Her appreciation for the value and importance of basic research to advancing translational discoveries, as well as her commitment to ensuring that such treatment innovations reach patients in all populations across the United States, will ensure that the NCI continues to lead the way in programs aimed at improving health, preventing cancer, and reducing the incidence and mortality from this devastating disease,” added Foti.
Bertagnolli succeeds Norman “Ned” Sharpless, MD, who announced he would be stepping down in April this year.
