Mays Cancer Center’s Mesa elected officer of Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Board

SAN ANTONIO (July 31, 2020) — Ruben Mesa, M.D., FACP, has been elected an officer on the national board of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Dr. Mesa is director of the Mays Cancer Center, home to UT Health San Antonio MD Anderson, where he holds the Mays Family Foundation Distinguished University Presidential Chair. The Mays Cancer Center is the only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Cancer Center in South Texas, and one of only four in Texas.

Ruben Mesa
Ruben Mesa, M.D., FACP, is director of the Mays Cancer Center, home to UT Health San Antonio MD Anderson.

He also is a nationally known researcher of myeloproliferative neoplasms, a group of rare blood disorders, and sees patients with these disorders from throughout the U.S. at the Mays Cancer Center.

Dr. Mesa, who will serve as an at-large officer for the LLS, has been principal investigator or co-principal investigator of more than 70 clinical trials for patients with myeloid disorders and has played a lead role in several Food and Drug Administration approvals for treatments.

“I first became involved with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society national board in 2018 and have enjoyed participating in many leadership and educational initiatives. Most recently, we have focused our efforts on educating fellow oncologists and cancer patients on precautions to take during the COVID-19 pandemic so that patients can continue receiving their treatments safely. Of course, we are also encouraging the general public to continue getting their cancer screenings so that cancer doesn’t develop undetected,” he said.

Dr. Mesa has been an NCI-funded investigator throughout his career and currently is co-principal Investigator of the NCI Program Project Grant-Funded Myeloproliferative Neoplasms Research Consortium. He holds a range of leadership roles with the American Society of Hematology and is chair of the Standing Science and Education Committee for the International Society of Hematology.

Dr. Mesa completed his undergraduate training in nuclear engineering and physiology at the University of Illinois and attended Mayo Medical School in Rochester, Minn., where he completed his internal medicine residency, and hematology and medical oncology fellowship.

He was on the hematology faculty at the Mayo Clinic before joining the of the Mayo Clinic Cancer Center in Arizona in 2009, serving as deputy director from 2012 to 2017. He was recruited to become director of the Mays Cancer Center in 2017.

“Volunteers are the soul of our organization and volunteer leadership is a key factor in the success of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society,” said Louis J. DeGennaro, PhD, LLS president and CEO.

“Our board comprises a broad range of impactful world-class leaders who collectively use their passion, talent and expertise to drive the LLS mission to cure leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families,” DeGennaro said. “Despite the uncertain times we are all living in, I am confident LLS is strategically positioned to ignite unprecedented cancer breakthroughs and remain laser-focused on our pursuit of a world without blood cancer. Our patients need us now, more than ever.”

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The Mays Cancer Center, home to UT Health San Antonio MD Anderson Cancer Center is one of only four National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Centers in Texas. The Mays Cancer Center provides leading-edge cancer care, propels innovative cancer research and educates the next generation of leaders to end cancer in South Texas. Visit www.UTHealthsaMDAnderson.org.



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