Fox Chase Celebrates Selection of New President

He is a strong visionary, compassionate clinician and insightful scientist. Now, Michael V. Seiden, MD, PhD, is the incoming president of Fox Chase Cancer Center, beginning June 1.

In March, Fox Chase's board of directors selected Seiden after a national search. He succeeds long-time president Robert C. Young, MD, who announced his intention to step down last fall after 18 years of service.

William J. Avery, board chairman, describes Seiden as having "an unwavering commitment to both patient care and cancer research that is matched by a keen business judgment."

Seiden currently leads the gynecologic cancer program at Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center (DF/HCC) and is chief of the clinical research unit in Massachusetts General Hospital's Division of Cancer Medicine.

Additionally, Seiden serves as associate professor of medicine at Harvard and physician coordinator of the cancer stem-cell project at DF/HCC. His research focuses on clinical and translational studies in ovarian cancer. He also trains and mentors fellows and junior faculty within the ovarian cancer program.

Seiden is principal investigator for the ovarian cancer tumor biology laboratory at Massachusetts General and co-principal investigator of DF/HCC's National Cancer Institute grant for a Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE) in ovarian cancer. His laboratory has also begun studies to identify and characterize the ovarian-cancer stem cell through SPORE and support from the Harvard Stem Cell Institute at Harvard Medical School.

"I am honored and excited to be joining Fox Chase Cancer Center and working with a committed team of individuals in improving the lives of people with cancer now and in the future," Seiden says.

Recent honors of Seiden's include being named Massachusetts Breast Cancer Scholar in 1995 and again in 2000 and 2001. He has successfully competed for a Clinical Interface Award funded through the Doris Duke Foundation. He has also been an invited lecturer at the international ovarian cancer forums sponsored by England's Helene Harris Memorial Trust in 2001, 2005 and 2007. Seiden is active in many professional organizations and editorial boards and serves on national and international committees and advisory boards.

Learn more about the new president's vision in the next issue of In Touch!