Monica M. Bertagnolli, MD, FACS, has been elected by members of the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) as the Academy’s next President. Beginning July 1, 2026, she will succeed Victor J. Dzau, MD, who has served as NAM President since 2014. Dr. Bertagnolli’s election to a 6-year term follows her selection as nominee by the NAM Council after an intensive, yearlong search process. She will be the first woman to serve as President of the NAM since its establishment as the Institute of Medicine in 1970.
Monica M. Bertagnolli, MD, FACS
Dr. Bertagnolli is a former Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a former Director of the National Cancer Institute, and a former ASCO President (2018-2019) and Chair of the Board of Directors for ASCO.
“I am deeply honored by the confidence the NAM membership has placed in me,” said Dr. Bertagnolli. “The Academy has a critically important role and mission as a trusted, nonpartisan adviser and is uniquely positioned to bring science, clinical expertise, and community experience together to improve health for everyone. I look forward to working with members, partners, and the public to advance a health system that truly serves everyone.”
Dr. Bertagnolli is a surgical oncologist and physician-scientist whose research has advanced understanding of the role of genetics and inflammation in gastrointestinal cancers and soft-tissue sarcomas. She has held academic and clinical leadership roles at Harvard Medical School/Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center. She has also served on the boards of the American Cancer Society and the Prevent Cancer Foundation.
Dr. Bertagnolli has championed collaborative efforts to build a learning health system by transforming the data infrastructure for clinical research, including by spearheading the mCODE initiative, which enabled standardized oncology data exchange, and DataCOUNTS, an NIH program managing data to drive a learning health system. She is also a strong advocate for increasing the representation of clinical trial participants, particularly from rural and remote communities.
“Dr. Bertagnolli is an exceptional leader, clinician, and scientist whose career has been defined by collaboration and a steadfast commitment to patients and communities, particularly in more remote areas,” said Dr. Dzau. “Her experience leading major research institutions and driving innovation in data, clinical trials, and the learning health system will serve the NAM—and the nation—extraordinarily well.”
A native of rural Wyoming, Dr. Bertagnolli was elected as a member of the National Academy of Medicine in 2021.
“On behalf of the NAM Council, I am thrilled to welcome Dr. Bertagnolli as the next president of the National Academy of Medicine,” added Linda A. McCauley, PhD, Vice Chair of the NAM Council. “After a rigorous, thoughtful search process, it is clear that her vision for a more representative, data-driven, and responsive health system aligns closely with the Academy’s mission and values. Her election is a historic milestone for the NAM and an exciting moment for our members, staff, and partners.”
