Patricia LoRusso, DO, PhD (hc), an internationally recognized expert in drug development and early-phase clinical investigation of novel cancer therapies, was recently appointed the Amy and Joseph Perella Professor of Medicine (medical oncology). The appointment is for a term of 10 years, renewable by the Dean of the Yale School of Medicine. Dr. LoRusso is also the Associate Center Director of Developmental Therapeutics at Yale Cancer Center and leader of the Early Phase Clinical Research Team at Yale Cancer Center and Smilow Cancer Hospital. Her leadership has helped shape the field of translational and clinical cancer research and has greatly contributed to crucial therapeutic breakthroughs for patients with cancer.
Before coming to Yale, Dr. LoRusso served in numerous leadership roles at Wayne State University’s Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, including as Director of the Phase I Clinical Trials Program and of the Eisenberg Center for Translational Therapeutics.
Patricia LoRusso, DO, PhD (hc)
An Active Leader
In April 2023, she was elected the 2024–25 President of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR). In that role, she works with the officers and directors of the AACR board and the AACR membership at large to further the AACR’s mission to prevent and cure all cancers through research, education, communication, collaboration, science policy and advocacy, and funding for cancer research.
Dr. LoRusso also currently serves as Chair of the AACR Exploratory IND/Biomarker-Driven Clinical Trials Task Force, Chair of the AACR-Margaret Foti Award for Leadership and Extraordinary Achievements in Cancer Research Award Committee, Co-Chair of the AACR Precision Combination Therapy Task Force, and member of the Global Affairs Committee. She has been a member of the AACR Project GENIE External Advisory Board since its inception in 2015.
Dr. LoRusso currently serves as a Co-Chair of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program (CTEP) Investigational Drug Steering Committee and is Co-Chair of the Board of Scientific Council for the Intramural Program at the NCI. She also served on the education and scientific committees of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, numerous peer-reviewed study sections, and NCI committees.
In 2015, Dr. LoRusso received an honorary PhD from her alma mater, Michigan State University. That same year, she was honored by the National Organization of Italian American Women as one of Connecticut’s Wise Women. In 2016 she was awarded the Luminary Award by the World Affairs Council of Connecticut and, in 2022, she received the prestigious Burchenal Award for Clinical Cancer Research from the AACR.
