Jeffrey E. Lee, MD
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center announced that Jeffrey E. Lee, MD, an internationally regarded leader in the field of oncology, has been appointed Chief Medical Executive (CME). Prior to his appointment, Dr. Lee served as CME ad interim. Assuming the role of CME is the culmination of Dr. Lee’s 34-year tenure at the institution, where he has made substantial contributions in the field of oncology and served in multiple leadership roles.
“The opportunity to lead our incredibly talented team of clinicians, scientists and staff is a distinct honor,” Dr. Lee said. “Inspired by the needs of our patients and working under our shared mission, I’m committed to guiding our collective efforts to deliver powerful impact for our patients.”
After joining MD Anderson in 1991 as a fellow in surgical oncology, Dr. Lee became a member of the faculty and rose through the academic ranks. Since 2010, he has held the endowed Irving and Nadine Mansfield and Robert David Levitt Cancer Research Chair. In 2022, Dr. Lee was named Vice President for Clinical Operations Strategy Execution and Preparedness/Deputy Chief Operating Officer (COO). Responsibilities in this role included serving as a member of the COO Leadership Team, as a faculty lead for MD Anderson’s service line initiative, and co-lead of the institution’s upstream capacity management project.
Professional Experience
In addition to his work at MD Anderson, Dr. Lee has held leadership roles and is an active member in more than 30 international, national, and local professional societies. He earned his MD from Stanford University School of Medicine and completed his internship and residency in surgery and a research fellowship in tumor immunology.
Over the course of Dr. Lee’s career, his work has resulted in more than 600 peer-reviewed publications. He has had a 3-decade, peer review, funded collaborative laboratory research program focused on melanoma genetics, melanoma immune and inflammatory biomarkers, and the development of novel antibody-based therapeutics for melanoma and other cancers.
