New Leadership at the Cancer Institute of New Jersey

Abstract

Peter S. Amenta, M.D, Ph.D., Interim Dean of UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School has announced the appointment of Joseph R. Bertino, MD, a world-class researcher and clinician, as the Interim Director of Robert Wood Johnson Medical School's Cancer Institute of New Jersey (CINJ).William N. Hait, MD, PhD, the President-Elect of AACR, who has served as CINJ's director since 1993, will step down to lead Johnson & Johnson. Under his leadership, The Cancer Institute of New Jersey successfully obtained cancer center designation from the National Cancer Institute in 1997. In 2002, it received the National Cancer Institute's highest designation to become the 39th Comprehensive Cancer Center in the United States. CINJ is the state's first and only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center and just one of three in the New York metropolitan area."Under the direction of Dr. Joseph Bertino, The Cancer Institute of New Jersey will advance its leadership role throughout the state and the nation by providing excellent patient care, cutting edge research and ongoing education in the field of oncology," said Dr. Amenta. "As one of the nation's foremost cancer researchers he will lead with vision and dedication." Dr. Bertino will provide a seamless transition for CINJ and continue its mission of conducting state-of-the-art cancer research and providing exemplary patient care for all New Jerseyans. Since 2002, Dr. Bertino has served as Associate Director of CINJ and University Professor of Medicine and Pharmacology at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. He was appointed Chief Scientific Officer of CINJ in 2004. Prior to joining CINJ and UMDNJ, Dr. Bertino served as Chairman of the Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutics Program, and Member and Co-head of the Program in Developmental Therapy and Clinical Investigation at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research. From 1973 to 1986 Dr. Bertino served as Director of the Yale Comprehensive Cancer Center, including Director of the Center and Associate Director for Clinical Research. Dr. Bertino has been internationally recognized for his role in finding curative treatments for leukemia and lymphoma. Dr. Bertino is also an AssociateEditor of Cancer Biology and Therapy."With Drs. Joe Bertino and Arnie Levine, a pioneer in cancer research, The Cancer Institute of New Jersey can legitimately claim to be home to two of the greatest researchers in the history of cancer medicine," stated Dr. Hait.As testimony to Dr. Hait's leadership style and vision, his colleagues at CINJ are well-positioned to continue the Cancer Institute's stellar record of research, education, and patient care. CINJ's faculty members are at the forefront in the war against cancer and are recognized by colleagues around the globe for their excellence in cancer research and cancer care. At CINJ, cancer research is supported by more than $93 million annually in research grants.CINJ has grown from a dream in the early 1990's to an NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center. Today, CINJ sees over 72,000 patient visits annually. Patients at CINJ receive compassionate care and are assured of the most promising treatments. Through its extensive network of affiliated hospitals, CINJ has become a statewide resource providing the best cancer care available to all New Jerseyans."Under Dr. Hait's leadership, CINJ has achieved its mission of creating a cancer center of extraordinary quality for the people of New Jersey and is extremely well positioned for the future under Dr. Bertino's guidance," said Robert Campbell, longtime chairman of the CINJ Board of Overseers.About The Cancer Institute of New JerseyThe Cancer Institute of New Jersey is New Jersey's only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, and is dedicated to improving the prevention, detection, treatment and care of patients with cancer. CINJ's physician-scientists engage in translational research, transforming their laboratory discoveries into clinical practice-quite literally bringing research to life. The Cancer Institute of New Jersey is a Center of Excellence of the UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. To support CINJ, please call The Cancer Institute of New Jersey Foundation at 1-888-333-CINJ. Additional information can be found at www.cinj.org.The Cancer Institute of New Jersey Network is comprised of hospitals throughout the state and provides a mechanism to rapidly disseminate important discoveries into the community. Partner Hospitals: Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, Atlantic Health System (Morristown Memorial Hospital, Mountainside Hospital, Overlook Hospital). Affiliate Hospitals: Bayshore Community Hospital, CentraState Healthcare System, Cooper University Hospital (CINJ at Cooper),* Jersey Shore University Medical Center, JFK Medical Center, Monmouth Medical Center, Raritan Bay Medical Center, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital at Hamilton (CINJ-Hamilton), Saint Peter's University Hospital, Somerset Medical Center, Southern Ocean County Hospital, The University Hospital/UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School,* and University Medical Center at Princeton. *Academic AffiliateContacts Information: Candace Botnick; The Cancer Institute of New Jersey; 732/235-9871; botnicca@umdnj.edu and Patricia Hansen; Robert Wood Johnson Medical School 732/235-6307; hansenmp@umdnj.edu.