Ruben A. Mesa, M.D., director of the Mays Cancer Center, the newly named home to the UT Health San Antonio MD Anderson Cancer Center, has been named to the board of directors of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society bills itself as “the world’s largest voluntary health agency dedicated to fighting blood cancer.” The society funds blood cancer research around the world, provides free information and support services, and is an advocate for all blood cancer patients seeking access to quality, affordable, coordinated care.
Founded in 1949 and headquartered in Rye Brook, New York, the society has chapters throughout the United States and Canada.
Dr. Mesa has been principal investigator or co-principal investigator in more than 70 clinical trials for patients with myeloid disorders and played a lead role in various FDA approvals. He has been a funded investigator from the National Cancer Institute throughout his career and currently is co-principal investigator of the NCI funded Myeloproliferative Neoplasms Research Consortium.
Dr. Mesa was named director of the Mays Cancer Center in August 2017. He is a professor and holds the Mays Family Foundation Distinguished University Presidential Chair. Previously, Dr. Mesa was professor of medicine and chair of the Division of Hematology & Medical Oncology at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona and deputy director of the Mayo Clinic Cancer Center.
Along with Dr. Mesa, three other research scientists were named to the society’s board.
“Our new board members bring world-class scientific and medical strength and business acumen, along with their passion and commitment to helping patients,” said Louis J. DeGennaro, Ph.D., Leukemia & Lymphoma Society president and CEO. “I’m confident that (the society) is well positioned to maintain growth in our pursuit of a world without blood cancer.”