Richard I. Fisher, MD, has been appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia. Dr. Fisher will also hold the title of Cancer Center Director of Fox Chase, serving as the Principal Investigator on the Cancer Center Support Grant from the National Cancer Institute. He will retain the title of Senior Associate Dean for Cancer Programs at Temple University School of Medicine. Dr. Fisher joined Temple Health on March 1 of this year.
Forward Momentum
“The Health System as a whole is fortunate to be able to draw on Dr. Fisher’s clear capabilities as a cancer center administrator, clinician, and research investigator to lead Fox Chase Cancer Center,” said Larry R. Kaiser, MD, FACS, Senior Executive Vice President for Health Sciences at Temple University, Dean of Temple University School of Medicine, and President and CEO of Temple University Health System. “In his new roles, he will play a vital part in sustaining our forward momentum and help us maximize the opportunities offered by the affiliation of Fox Chase with Temple University Health System,” Dr. Kaiser said.
Since his arrival, Dr. Kaiser noted, Dr. Fisher has demonstrated adroit and sure-handed leadership and administrative ability, working closely with leaders at Fox Chase and across Temple Health. He has helped to advance a positive and forward-looking perspective that will help to reinvigorate clinical and scientific cancer programs and to launch vital faculty recruitment efforts.
Career Highlights
Before joining Fox Chase and Temple Health, Dr. Fisher was Vice President for Strategic and Program Development at the University of Rochester Medical Center and the Samuel E. Durand Professor of Medicine. For the previous 11 years, he served as Director of the James P. Wilmot Cancer Center at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry (URSMD) and Director of Cancer Services for the Strong Health System in Rochester, New York.
Over his career, Dr. Fisher has held a number of important leadership positions in oncology at the national level—including Chair of the Lymphoma Committee of the Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG) (1985-2013); Deputy Group Chair of SWOG (2005-present); and Chair of the Lymphoma Research Foundation Scientific Advisory Board (2008-2010). He also has served as a member of the Board of Scientific Advisors for the V Foundation (2003-present), a member of the NCI Lymphoma Steering Committee (2009-present), and Chair of the NCI SPORE review committee (2010).
Dr. Fisher earned his undergraduate degree in chemistry and physics at Harvard University before obtaining his MD degree from Harvard Medical School in 1970. He completed his internship and residency at Massachusetts General Hospital. ■
