Monica Bertagnolli, MD
Group Chair, Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology
Richard E. Wilson Professor of Surgery in the Field of Surgical Oncology, Harvard Medical School
Today, President Joe Biden announced his intent to appoint Dr. Bertagnolli as the 16th – and first woman – director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI). See the complete White House announcement here.
Dr. Bertagnolli, a surgical oncologist, clinical researcher and the Richard E. Wilson Professor of Surgery in the Field of Surgical Oncology at Harvard Medical School, has dedicated her career to improving the lives of patients with cancer.
Dr. Bertagnolli specializes in the surgical care of patients with gastrointestinal cancer and sarcoma, collaborating closely with colleagues in Medical Oncology, Radiation Oncology and Pathology to deliver comprehensive, patient-centered care. She is a clinical researcher who has long advocated for increasing diversity in cancer research. Additionally, she has an impressive history of basic science work in the laboratory, where she has focused on understanding the role of the inflammatory response in epithelial tumor formation.
Dr. Bertagnolli’s credentials and tremendous accomplishments throughout her career have prepared her for this key role. These include leading several initiatives within NCI-funded Cancer Cooperative Groups, where she facilitated integration of tumor-specific molecular markers into nationwide cancer treatment protocols, improving the care and outcomes of patients across the country. She has also held numerous leadership roles in multi-institutional cancer clinical research groups, currently serving as the group chair of the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology, a nationwide NCI-funded clinical trials group. Additionally, she is the CEO of Alliance Foundation Trials, LLC, a not-for-profit corporation that conducts international cancer clinical trials.
Dr. Bertagnolli graduated from Princeton University and attended medical school at the University of Utah. She trained in surgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and was a research fellow at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.