Alec Kimmelman, MD, PhD, a renowned researcher and radiation oncologist whose discoveries have created new hope for patients, has been named director of the Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center. Dr. Kimmelman will also retain his title as the Anita Steckler and Joseph Steckler Chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. This appointment is effective immediately.

Dr. Kimmelman joined NYU Langone in 2016, growing a roster of top-tier researchers and clinicians who deliver world-class care in cancer treatment. In addition to leading the Department of Radiation Oncology, Dr. Kimmelman also serves on the Executive Management Committee of Perlmutter Cancer Center, co-leads its Cancer Cell Biology Program, and sits on the external advisory boards of the Sanford Burnham Prebys Cancer Center and The Beatson Cancer Center. Since 2021, he has served as the senior advisor to the dean and CEO at NYU Langone for cancer strategy and operations. He is also an internationally renowned researcher on the biology of pancreatic cancer, and received a $1.7 million Drug Discovery Award from the Mark Foundation for Cancer Research this year to accelerate the conversion of promising scientific discoveries into therapeutics that will benefit people with cancer.

“This is an incredible opportunity,” said Dr. Kimmelman. “My time leading the Department of Radiation Oncology has given me the chance to collaborate with excellent teams all across the institution, and I am confident that together we will continue to lead the charge in developing new treatments and providing our patients with the world-class care for which we are known. The considerable talent we have already attracted to Perlmutter Cancer Center makes clear that this is one of the most exciting cancer programs anywhere.”

Dr. Kimmelman is a world leader in the cancer metabolism field and has made critical discoveries that have identified novel metabolic pathways in pancreatic cancer. His research focuses on the unique metabolism of pancreatic cancers to understand how they use various fuel sources to power their growth.

“Dr. Kimmelman’s work consistently and clearly demonstrates all of the necessary talents and skills needed to effectively lead our cancer program into the future,” said Robert I. Grossman, MD, dean and CEO of NYU Langone. “Perlmutter Cancer Center’s groundbreaking cancer research, state-of-the-art treatment, and impactful prevention and education programs are exemplars of our institution’s exceptionalism. We are confident that the center will continue this upward trajectory under Dr. Kimmelman’s leadership.”

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 and a postdoctoral fellowship at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, where he remained on faculty prior to joining NYU Langone.

Dr. Kimmelman is a National Institutes of Health (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 Cancer Discovery, 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 inducted into the American Society for Clinical Investigation and the Association of American Physicians. He was selected to receive an Outstanding Investigator Award from the National Cancer Institute and was named as one of the world’s most influential researchers by Clarivate in 2021.

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