Harvard surgeon named to head BSD

Glenn Steele Jr., one of the nation's foremost surgical oncologists, has been named Dean of the Biological Sciences Division and the Pritzker School of Medicine and Vice President for Medical Affairs. His appointment is effective Sept. 1.

Steele currently is the William V. McDermott Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School and chairman of the department of surgery at New England Deaconess Hospital. He also is a physician in surgical oncology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. He is widely recognized for his investigations in the treatment of primary and metastatic liver cancer and for colorectal cancer surgery. His laboratory investigations have focused on the cell biology of gastrointestinal cancer and pre-cancer.

"Throughout its history, the University of Chicago has been a leader in biological science and medical education," President Sonnenschein said in making the announcement. "Dr. Steele is a remarkable physician-scientist who epitomizes our tradition of bringing together the discovery of new knowledge and the very best in patient care. We have found exactly the person we need to realize our aspirations."

Ralph Muller, President of the Hospitals, said, "We are extremely excited about Dr. Steele's appointment and about the additional strengths he brings to our already outstanding programs in surgical oncology, cancer care and cancer genetics.

"We are also pleased to have someone who has not only been in the forefront of cancer research, but also has been active in reforming the delivery of health care in a highly competitive and rapidly evolving medical market such as Boston."

Of his appointment to Chicago, Steele said, "The advantage of the University of Chicago is its unique anatomy. Highly integrated in its biomedical mission and devoted to patient care, it is a specially structured place that provides extraordinary opportunities for that combination of research, clinical practice and teaching, and a chance to build in newly developing fields."

Steele, who has authored or co-authored nearly 400 scientific articles, received his A.B. in history and literature from Harvard, his M.D. from New York University School of Medicine and his Ph.D. from Lund University in Sweden.

He completed his internship and residency in surgery at the University of Colorado, where he also was an American Cancer Society Fellow. He was awarded a National Institutes of Health Fellowship in Immunology to the Wallenberg Laboratory at Lund University in 1973. All of his teaching and clinical career has been at Harvard and its associated hospitals, including the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Peter Bent Brigham Hospital, Boston Hospital for Women and New England Deaconess Hospital.

Steele is a member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences and a fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He also serves on the editorial boards of several prominent medical journals.