Ernst Lengyel, MD, PhD, was recently named Chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Chicago. He succeeds Arthur Haney, MD, who served as Chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology since April 2003. Under the leadership of Dr. Haney, the Department developed strong educational and clinical programs. Dr. Haney will remain an active member of the faculty.
Research Interests
Dr. Lengyel joined the University of Chicago in 2004 and since that time his work has included studies into the biology of how ovarian cancer spreads to other sites and the use of novel drugs for its treatment. His laboratory was the first to culture metastatic ovarian cancer cells in a three-dimensional environment, similar to how these cells would grow in the body, and the first to use high-throughput drug screening in this model.
Dr. Lengyel’s current research is focused on finding new drugs for the treatment of ovarian cancer and on the interactions between ovarian cancer cells and their surrounding environments.
“Ernst Lengyel has demonstrated wisdom and dedication as a caring physician and as a scientist,” said Kenneth Polonsky, MD, Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs at the University of Chicago and Dean of the Biological Sciences Division and the Pritzker School of Medicine. “He is a meticulous gynecologic surgeon and an innovative investigator who has done pioneering research on the spread of ovarian cancer and its impact on surrounding tissues,” Dr. Polonsky added.
Early Career
Dr. Lengyel completed his basic science and medical school training at the University of Munich and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, where he performed his residency in obstetrics and gynecology. After his fellowship in gynecologic oncology at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF)/Stanford, he served at UCSF for a year as a junior faculty member before joining the University of Chicago as Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology. ■
