Laurie Glimcher, MD, will step down from her role as president and CEO of Boston-based Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Oct. 1.
She will remain with the health system as president emerita to continue her research and mentor the next generation of physician scientists, in addition to other special projects. Benjamin Levine Ebert, MD, PhD, chair of the department of medical oncology at Dana-Farber, will succeed Dr. Glimcher as president and CEO.
Dr. Glimcher became the first woman president and CEO of Dana-Farber in October 2016. She grew the institute's locations from four to seven during her tenure and increased patient volume 51%. She also led the charge for a 62% jump in grant and industry-funded research, totalling $450 million for the 2023 fiscal year.
Last year, she oversaw the proposal to build a 300-bed inpatient hospital in collaboration with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, splitting from longtime partner Boston-based Mass General Brigham. Dr. Glimcher also led fundraising efforts slated to close at the end of September.
"This is the perfect time for me to pass the leadership of this remarkable institution on to the next generation, and return my focus to cancer immunology research," Dr. Glimcher said in the health system's news release.
"Laurie Glimcher’s tenure as Dana-Farber’s president has been transformative and impactful for our patients, our physician-scientists, our workforce and the entire oncology community," said Josh Bekenstein, Dana-Farber board chair. "Dana-Farber has been extremely fortunate to have had a president and CEO of Laurie Glimcher's scientific stature who has also proven to be a visionary, compassionate, and inclusive leader. Her patient-centered approach helped the Institute continue to improve the great care at Dana-Farber. I am incredibly grateful for her brilliant leadership."
Dr. Ebert will take the helm at a pivotal time for Dana-Farber, as the system embarks on new projects and forges ahead with innovative research. In his role overseeing the department of medical oncology, Dr. Ebert is accountable for more than 300 faculty members and 80 cancer research laboratories. The number of faculty, clinical volume and research funding has grown during his tenure. He is focused on early career faculty mentorship, faculty well-being and multidisciplinary collaboration.