FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 6, 2008
CONTACT:
Danielle Potuto
703-519-1422
Alexandria, Va.—Douglas W. Blayney, MD, an internationally recognized expert in oncology quality and informatics, and hematologic malignancy, has been elected to become President of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) for a one-year term beginning in June 2009. He will take office as President-Elect during ASCO’s 44th Annual Meeting in Chicago in June 2008. Additionally, four new members were elected to the ASCO Board of Directors and two new members to the ASCO Nominating Committee, all for three-year terms beginning in June 2008.
Dr. Blayney currently serves as professor of internal medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School and medical director of the university’s Comprehensive Cancer Center. He joined the University of Michigan in 2003 from the Wilshire Oncology Medical Group, a private oncology practice in Pasadena, California, where he practiced for 17 years. He also served as an associate professor of clinical medicine at the University of Southern California, as well as a voluntary attending physician at the Los Angeles County General Hospital.
“It will be my privilege and pleasure to work with the newly elected leadership, in particular, the newly elected President-Elect, Dr. Douglas Blayney,” said Allen S. Lichter, MD, chief executive officer of ASCO. “For over a decade, Dr. Blayney has committed his time and dedication to the Society through various volunteer and leadership positions. ASCO is fortunate to have such a highly qualified oncologist and dedicated ASCO member lead the Society’s efforts to improve cancer care and prevention.”
“I am honored to have been elected to serve as ASCO President, following in the very large footsteps of those who have served before me,” said Dr. Blayney. “ASCO is an exceptional organization and I look forward to working alongside my esteemed colleagues on the Board of Directors to continue improving the care and treatment of those living with cancer.”
Since joining ASCO in 1983, Dr. Blayney has demonstrated a comprehensive record of service to the Society. He served on the ASCO Board of Directors from 1996 to 1999 and has been a member of The ASCO Cancer Foundation Board of Directors since 1999. Dr. Blayney has also been a member of the Editorial Boards of the Journal of Clinical Oncology (JCO) and the Journal of Oncology Practice (JOP), and currently serves as Editor in Chief of JOP.
In addition, Dr. Blayney has served on the Clinical Practice Committee in various capacities since 1993, the Cancer Education Committee as chair of the Education Technology Assessment Subcommittee (2000-2003), and as track leader for the Practice Management and Information Technology track (2003-2004 and 2005-2006). He has also served as chair of the Information Technology Committee (1996-2000) and a member of the Strategic Planning Committee (2001-2002). For his service to ASCO, Dr. Blayney received the Board of Directors Appreciation Award in 2003 and the ASCO Statesman Award in 2007.
In addition to his work with ASCO, Dr. Blayney is an active member of the American Society of Hematology (ASH) and the Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG). He formerly served as the founding treasurer and as a member of the Board of Directors of the Medical Oncology Association of Southern California. Currently, Dr. Blayney serves on the Board of Directors of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) and is also a member of the NCCN Myeloid Growth Factor Guideline Panel. He has authored or co-authored over fifty peer reviewed journal articles and other publications.
Newly Elected ASCO Board Members
ASCO’s Board of Directors is comprised of oncology leaders who are elected to represent one of five distinct areas within the oncology field. The following physicians will begin three-year terms as members of ASCO’s Board of Directors on June 3, 2008:
Monica M. Bertagnolli, MD, has been elected to a Surgical Oncology seat. Dr. Bertagnolli is associate professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School and an associate surgeon at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
Bruce E. Johnson, MD, has been elected to an Undesignated Specialty, Oncology, or Hematology/Oncology seat. Dr. Johnson is director of the Lowe Center of Thoracic Oncology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women’s Hospital and a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.
Robert Langdon, Jr., MD, has been elected to a Community Oncology seat. Dr. Langdon works in private oncology practice and is president of Oncology Hematology West, P.C. in Omaha, Nebraska
Sandra M. Swain, MD, has been elected to an Undesignated Specialty, Oncology, or Hematology/Oncology seat. Dr. Swain is the medical director of the Washington Cancer Institute at Washington Hospital Center and a professor of medicine at Georgetown University and the F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences.
New Members of ASCO Nominating Committee
Two newly elected ASCO Nominating Committee members will serve three-year terms beginning in June 2008:
Theodore S. Lawrence, MD, PhD, is the Isadore Lampe Professor and Chair in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of Michigan Medical School. Dr. Lawrence will serve as the Nominating Committee Chair in 2010-2011.
Julie R. Gralow, MD, is the director of breast medical oncology at the University of Washington School of Medicine and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.
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The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) is the world’s leading professional organization representing physicians who care for people with cancer. With more than 25,000 members, ASCO is committed to improving cancer care through scientific meetings, educational programs and peer-reviewed journals. For ASCO information and resources, visit www.asco.org/presscenter. Patient-oriented cancer information is available at www.plwc.org.
