Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

We’re excited to share that that Shakeeb Akhter has joined Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) as its new Chief Digital Officer (CDO). In this role, Shakeeb will be responsible for the overall design and execution of MSK’s digital strategy. Shakeeb joins MSK following a distinguished career at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), where he served as Senior Vice President and Chief Digital and Information Officer. During his tenure, he built one of the most advanced healthcare digital transformation programs in the country, spanning AI, clinical informatics, cybersecurity, advanced analytics, and digitally enabled care. At MSK, Shakeeb will serve as the architect of MSK's digital and technology future, championing an enterprise-wide strategy that connects clinical, research, and administrative domains. Learn more about Shakeeb: https://bit.ly/3PUvY3E

In honor of International Clinical Trials Day, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) celebrates its clinical research staff, trial participants, and administrators for their invaluable contributions in advancing innovative cancer treatment therapies and cures. With over 1,100 clinical research experts, MSK provides patients with exceptional access to innovative treatments through an extensive range of clinical trials. MSK clinicians, clinical care providers, and clinical research administrators work together to drive groundbreaking discoveries, bringing new and expanding treatment options to cancer patients here and around the world. "Successful clinical trials are the only way forward to improve outcomes for patients," says Dr. Paul Sabbatini, Senior Vice President of Clinical Research at MSK. "The impact of the MSK clinical research enterprise also extends far beyond our institution, changing standards of care for patients around the world. By driving discoveries that influence oncology practice globally, MSK remains at the forefront of delivering transformative advances that offer hope to patients and families everywhere."

We're excited to share Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK)'s Annual Report titled: "Progress Made Personal." In this editorial showcase, you'll read stories about what progress looks like every day at MSK — in how we care for people, in our relentless drive to discover, and in all the ways we work together to end cancer for life. Read all of the incredible stories here: https://bit.ly/3PeQpZ3

Research published in the JAMA, Journal of the American Medical Association and presented at the American Thoracic Society International Conference may help improve how clinicians diagnose lung cancer. In the study, performing lung biopsy using cryoprobes to freeze and extract tissue improved diagnostic yield compared with conventional forceps biopsies. The findings suggest cryoprobe-based biopsy may help clinicians obtain larger, higher-quality tissue samples and improve diagnostic accuracy in routine practice. The study was led by Dr. Lonny Yarmus, Head of the Division of Subspecialty Medicine in the Department of Medicine at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), and Dr. Jeffrey Thiboutot of Johns Hopkins Medicine. Learn more: https://bit.ly/4nDJgxV.

Any working person with cancer is forced to weigh the risks and benefits of sharing deeply personal news in the workplace, often before you can know what the diagnosis will mean. Deciding how much to disclose about a cancer diagnosis at work is deeply individual — it isn’t one tough decision but many, as audiences and circumstances change. “I always remind people that just because you decide to disclose a cancer diagnosis, it doesn’t mean you have to disclose everything — it’s still your story,” says Hadley Maya, a social worker at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) who counsels many cancer patients in their 30s to 50s, when identity and career can be closely entwined. Read more about how to share a cancer diagnosis with your workplace and team: https://bit.ly/3RhmGiH

In an inspiring ceremony, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) celebrated new graduates and award winners at its annual Academic Convocation and Commencement, held on May 13. 🎓 Before an excited crowd of graduates, the faculty who mentored them, and many family members and friends who supported their journey, the highest number of awards and fellowships to date were presented, recognizing promising trainees, distinguished scientists, and doctors from MSK and beyond. Swipe for some pictures of the day, and read more about the day here: https://bit.ly/494uydp

In a new article published in NEJM Catalyst, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) leaders detail how they harnessed the humanizing power and connective force of storytelling to bridge the gap between strategy and execution. One key takeaway showed that by making it personal and emotionally resonant, MSK created a compelling roadmap that aligned our workforce around a high-level strategic vision that became a credible, actionable plan. Read more about this strategic vision, co-authored by MSK's Meghan DeWitt Suritz, Senior Director of Competitive Intelligence & Strategic Insight; Melissa Zablocki, Associate Director of Strategy; Sinan Sanvar, VP of Enterprise Growth Initiatives & Business Development; Erin McDonough, EVP and Chief Marketing & Communication Officer; and Anaeze Offodile, MD, EVP and Chief Strategy Officer: https://bit.ly/4ePlMDT

Researchers at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) have developed a new type of CAR T cell therapy that targets a protein found almost exclusively on leukemia cells and not on healthy cells. The preclinical study, led by MSK leukemia specialist Dr. Anthony Daniyan and Dr. Omar Abdel-Wahab, Chair of the Molecular Pharmacology Program at MSK’s Sloan Kettering Institute, takes an innovative approach by harnessing antibodies discovered in AML patients whose cancer went into long-term remission following a bone marrow transplant. “Rather than focusing on why treatment fails in AML, we looked for what helps people survive and learned from their success,” Dr. Abdel-Wahab says. In animal models, the CAR T cells successfully targeted leukemia cells while sparing healthy blood-forming cells. The findings, published in Cancer Discovery, may help advance future treatment approaches for AML and other types of leukemia. Learn more: https://bit.ly/4u2C4xH

Today, 15 new PhD scientists will officially receive their degrees from the Gerstner Sloan Kettering Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSK). GSK was created to provide the next generation of biomedical investigators with a deep expertise in cancer biology and the fundamental biological processes that underlie cancer. Since 2024, GSK also has included the Pat and Ian Cook Doctoral Program in Cancer Engineering, a PhD program for those interested in developing new tools and technology to solve fundamental problems in cancer science. The graduates will receive their diplomas as part of the 47th annual academic convocation and commencement ceremony held at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK). Learn more about these graduates: https://bit.ly/4tsQ1Eh

The Robbins Family Awards for Nursing Excellence program at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) recognizes the achievements of nurses and their contributions to MSK’s mission. "The Robbins Award recipients exemplify nursing at its finest, demonstrating exceptional skill and dedication across every dimension of their work," says Tracy Gosselin, Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Executive. "Their achievements in delivering outstanding care, fostering collaboration, advancing knowledge, and inspiring others strengthen our mission and highlight the extraordinary difference nurses make in the lives of those affected by cancer." These awards were recently presented during a hybrid event this Nurses Week. Swipe through for a few images.