Dr. Michael Caligiuri is a distinguished physician-scientist and leader in oncology and immunology who served as President of the City of Hope National Medical Center and the Deana and Steve Campbell Physician-in-Chief Distinguished Chair. After completing his undergraduate studies at the State University of New York at Buffalo and earning his medical degrees from Stanford University School of Medicine, he completed his residency at Brigham and Women's Hospital and fellowship at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, both affiliated with Harvard Medical School. Prior to his tenure at City of Hope, Dr. Caligiuri held significant leadership positions at Ohio State University including Chief Executive Officer of the James Cancer Hospital from 2008 to 2017 and Director of the Comprehensive Cancer Center from 2003 to 2017. He also served as Director of the Division of Hematology-Oncology at Ohio State University from 2000 through 2008, establishing himself as a prominent figure in academic cancer medicine leadership.
Dr. Caligiuri is world renowned for his groundbreaking research dedicated to understanding the immune system to treat various cancers, with particular expertise in natural killer cell biology. He co-discovered human innate-lymphoid cells and first identified the specific human precursors for both NK cells and innate lymphoid cells, fundamentally advancing the field of immunology. His discovery of a fundamental mechanism of immune surveillance demonstrated how Fc receptor-bearing innate immune cells recognize viral and bacterial pathogens, providing critical insights for therapeutic development. Over 1,500 patients with cancer have been treated on clinical protocols designed by Dr. Caligiuri, with his work translating basic lymphocyte biology into highly impactful applications for treating cancer. During his leadership at Ohio State University, he oversaw the construction of the third largest cancer hospital in the United States and recruited more than 300 physicians and scientists to advance cancer research.
Dr. Caligiuri has demonstrated a relentless commitment to addressing cancer health disparities, notably devising and implementing Project 2020 by 2020 to accrue thousands of African American cancer patient genomes and clinical data to national registries. As President of the American Association for Cancer Research from 2017 to 2018, he championed initiatives to accelerate cancer research and improve patient outcomes across diverse populations. With more than 100 students trained in his laboratory who have received over 200 local, state, national, and international awards, Dr. Caligiuri has significantly contributed to mentoring the next generation of cancer scientists. His recent work has focused on advancing CAR T cell therapy and developing innovative immunotherapies using natural killer cells, including engineering approaches to target the SARS-CoV-2 virus spike protein, demonstrating his ongoing commitment to translating scientific discoveries into clinical applications that benefit patients worldwide.
