Schilsky elected President of ASCO for 2008-2009

Richard Schilsky, Professor in Medicine and Associate Dean for Clinical Research, has been selected president-elect of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the leading professional organization representing physicians who care for people with cancer.

Schilsky, an internationally recognized expert in gastrointestinal cancers, cancer pharmacology and drug development, will take office as president-elect during the society’s 43rd annual meeting in Chicago in June. He will serve as president for a one-year term beginning in June 2008.

Since 1995, Schilsky has served as chair of Cancer and Leukemia Group B, a cooperative group sponsored by the National Cancer Institute that conducts clinical trials in cancer treatment, biology, prevention and health outcomes. His laboratory and clinical research have been continuously funded by the NCI since 1987.

“This is quite an honor and a considerable responsibility,” said Schilsky. “I am deeply committed to the ASCO mission of improving cancer care and prevention.” Schilsky looks forward to working in his new position to help improve the lives of people living with cancer, he said.

An active ASCO member since 1980, Schilsky has served on its board of directors, as board liaison to the grants selection committee, as chair of the personnel, public relations and cancer research committees, as the program committee chair and as a member of the steering committee for the 2006 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium. From 1990 to 1993, he served as a member of the editorial board for the Journal of Clinical Oncology and has participated in and led many scientific sessions at ASCO annual meetings. Presently, he is a member of the society’s government-relations council.

In addition to his work with ASCO, Schilsky has served as chair of the Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. He served on several peer review and advisory committees for the National Cancer Institute and has been a member of NCI’s board of scientific advisors since 1999. He was recently appointed to the NCI clinical trials advisory committee.

Schilsky is an associate editor of the journals Clinical Cancer Research and Cancer, and serves on the editorial boards of many other medical journals.

Two other members of the University faculty, Samuel Hellman, the A.N. Pritzker Distinguished Service Professor in Radiology & Cellular Oncology, and Harvey Golomb, Dean of Clinical Affairs for the Biological Sciences Division and Professor of Hematology/Oncology in Medicine, have served as president of ASCO.