Daniel Von Hoff, MD, FACP
Daniel Von Hoff, MD, FACP—Distinguished Professor, Physician-in-Chief, and Director of Molecular Medicine at the Translational Genomics Research Institute—received a gold medal for excellence in clinical medicine from his alma mater, Columbia University. Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons Alumni Association presented the award to Dr. Von Hoff on May 13 in New York.
“This medal represents the highest honor the Alumni Association can bestow in recognition of your outstanding accomplishments,” said Kenneth A. Forde, MD, Chair of the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons Alumni Association Honors and Awards Committee, which represents some of the nation’s most accomplished medical professionals. This year marks the 250th anniversary of Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and its founding as the first medical school in Colonial America to award a Medical Doctorate degree.
“This recognition is especially gratifying, as it is being presented by notable fellow graduates of my medical school, and I am deeply humbled and appreciative to be counted among those devoted to the welfare of patients,” said Dr. Von Hoff.
Past and Present Accomplishments
Dr. Von Hoff is also a senior consultant-clinical investigator for City of Hope, Chief Scientific Officer at HonorHealth Research Institute, and Professor of Medicine at Mayo Clinic. He currently co-leads an international Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) Pancreatic Cancer Dream Team, developing new treatments for this disease. It is one of three SU2C Dream Team grants awarded to the Translational Genomics Research Institute.
Dr. Von Hoff is past Director of the University of Arizona’s Cancer Center. He also is a past Board Member and President of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), a Fellow of the AACR, and recipient of the distinguished AACR Richard and Hinda Rosenthal Memorial Award. In addition, he is a past Board Member of ASCO and winner of its prestigious David A. Karnofsky Memorial Award for outstanding contributions to patient care and treatment.
He served a 6-year term on President Bush’s National Cancer Advisory Board (2004–2010); is a recipient of the Wallace A. Reed, MD, Award, recognizing his accomplishments in advancing innovative cancer treatments, from the Arizona Medical Association; and received the Award of Excellence from the Hope Funds for Cancer Research for his work in the clinical development of many new cancer treatments.
Dr. Von Hoff and his colleagues have conducted early clinical investigations of many new cancer agents, including gemcitabine, docetaxel, paclitaxel, topotecan, irinotecan, nanoliposomal irinotecan (Onivyde), fludarabine, mitoxantrone, dexrazoxane, nab-paclitaxel (Abraxane), vismodegib (Erivedge), and others. These treatments are crucial to many patients with breast, ovarian, prostate, colon, leukemia, advanced basal cell, and pancreatic cancers.
Dr. Von Hoff received his MD from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. He completed his internship and residency in internal medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, and then completed a medical oncology fellowship at the National Cancer Institute.