The University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health seeks a visionary and distinguished academic leader to serve as Director of the University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center (UWCCC), Wisconsin’s only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center. This is an exceptional opportunity for an innovative director to coalesce an internationally recognized group of scientists and clinicians around a new and bold strategic plan.
With roots dating to the 1930s and awarding of its first National Cancer Center (NCI) grant in 1946, UWCCC was established in 1973 as one of the original NCI-designated centers. The center is a premier hub for cancer research, education, community engagement, and clinical care. The center unites more than 244 researchers across 38 academic departments and 9 schools and colleges at UW—Madison. Each year, UWCCC serves more than 33,000 patients and oversees patient accrual to over 250 clinical trials, underscoring its profound commitment to translating scientific discovery into impactful, patient-centered care.
This leadership opportunity is situated within one of the nation’s leading public universities, home to more than $1.7 billion in annual research expenditures and a long-standing commitment to the Wisconsin Idea-the principle that the university should improve lives throughout the state and beyond. The center’s statewide and national impact is further amplified through its partnership with UW Health and the Wisconsin Community Advisory Board, as well as its role in the Big Ten Cancer Research Consortium, and as part of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network.
The new Director will join a nationally respected academic medical center and lead a multidisciplinary enterprise with a strong tradition of innovation in cancer prevention, detection, diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship. UWCCC’s scientific mission spans six key research areas and encompasses the full translational continuum including basic science to population health, and clinical science. Major initiatives include advanced diagnostic imaging, theranostics, precision oncology, biomarker-driven clinical interventions, oncogenesis, survivorship, and immunotherapy. The Director will lead an outstanding team of associate directors, faculty, and staff to advance the center’s mission and ensure continued success in its core pillars of research, clinical care, education and community partnership.
Reporting to Dr. Nita Ahuja, MD, MBA, the Dean of the School of Medicine and Public Health and Vice Chancellor for Medical Affairs at UW—Madison, the Director will oversee UWCCC’s strategic vision and operations, fostering cross-disciplinary collaboration across the UW—Madison campus and beyond. The Director will sit on the Dean’s senior leadership team. There is a strong relationship between the School of Medicine and Public Health and UW Health. Both envision the UWCCC as a major area of excellence, as a regional and national destination center, and one where there is a symbiosis of excellence in clinical care and research. As such, the Director will have a dotted line reporting relationship and open access to UWHealth CEO Alan Kaplan, MD, demonstrating a strongly shared vision for excellence in cancer prevention, care and research in partnership with the Director.
The successful candidate will be a nationally recognized physician-scientist or investigator with a strong record of NCI-funded research, academic achievement, and collaborative leadership. Applicants must hold an MD, MD/PhD, DO, PhD or equivalent degree and possess qualifications for a tenured faculty appointment at the rank of full professor.
This is a defining moment to lead a well-established, mission-driven cancer center into its next era of growth and impact. The next Director will have the opportunity to build on UWCCC’s rich legacy and further elevate its standing as a national leader in cancer research and care.
Confidential inquiries, nominations, expressions of interest, and candidate materials (including a letter or interest and CV) should be submitted to the WittKieffer consultants, Jeff Schroetlin, Andrew Bean, PhD, Megan Welch and Imran Ali preferably via e-mail to [email protected].