We are pleased to announce that Stephen J. Kron, MD-PhD, Professor in the Department of Molecular Genetics & Cell Biology, has been appointed as Chair of the Committee on Cancer Biology, effective October 8th, 2019.
Dr. Kron trained in bioengineering, biophysics, medicine and genetics before coming to the University of Chicago in 1996. Since then, his laboratory has focused on understanding cellular responses to DNA damage and other stresses, from single cells to cancer patients. As a distinguished and productive senior investigator, he has become interested in cellular senescence, not only hoping to overcome the immortality of cancer cells but also to limit aging in normal tissue. He has been an enthusiastic member of our Cancer Center, collaborating with colleagues in the basic sciences as well as Chemistry, Molecular Engineering, Medicine, Pediatrics, Pathology, Radiology and Radiation Oncology.
Over the course of his career, Dr. Kron has maintained a strong commitment to mentoring, education and training to develop the next generation of scientists. He has led research training programs for both undergraduates and graduate students, supervised students and fellows in his lab, and taught in the College and graduate programs. Steve has served on the Committee on Cancer Biology since its founding, an effort led by Marsha Rosner in the Ben May Department for Cancer Research. We are pleased Steve has agreed to now lead the Committee and the Cancer Biology graduate program.
We would also like to thank Kay Macleod, PhD, Associate Professor in the Ben May Department for Cancer Research, for her leadership of the Committee over the past six years. Under her direction, the Committee has recruited 40 graduate students, including a class of 10 in the last year with a 50:50 gender balance and 50% under-represented minority students. Dr. Macleod has continued the Committee’s rich tradition of training by introducing a new Translational Cancer Research course and expanding the Committee membership to include cancer-relevant faculty from other academic units of the University, including PME and PSD. In addition, Dr. Macleod successfully renewed our Cancer Biology Training Grant in 2014 and 2019, is the current national president of the Cancer Biology Training Consortium (CABTRAC) and serves on external advisory boards for six T32 training grants at other institutions. She will continue to serve as the PI for our recently renewed training grant.
Please join us in congratulating Steve, and thanking Kay for her years of service.
Appointment of Stephen Kron to Chair the Committee on Cancer Biology