Dr. Morie A. Gertz stands as a preeminent hematologist whose distinguished career has profoundly shaped the understanding and treatment of plasma cell disorders. He holds the prestigious Roland Seidler Jr. Professorship of the Art of Medicine and serves as Chair Emeritus of the Department of Internal Medicine at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, where he has been a cornerstone of hematology research and clinical practice for decades. Dr. Gertz earned his undergraduate degree with highest distinction from Northwestern University as a Phi Beta Kappa graduate before obtaining his medical degree cum laude from Loyola Medical School, where he was elected to Alpha Omega Alpha honor society. His rigorous medical training included a residency at Rush Presbyterian St. Luke's Hospital in Chicago, where he earned Resident of the Year honors twice, followed by specialized hematology and oncology training at Mayo Clinic.
Dr. Gertz has dedicated over thirty years to pioneering research in amyloidosis and multiple myeloma, with particular focus on comparative effectiveness of novel versus traditional therapies in managing relapse rates. His extensive scholarly output encompasses more than 800 peer-reviewed publications and over 90 book chapters that have established foundational knowledge in the diagnosis and treatment of complex blood disorders. As the first treasurer of both the International Society of Amyloidosis and International Myeloma Society, he played a crucial role in establishing global research networks that have accelerated therapeutic advances in these specialized fields. His research findings have directly translated to improved clinical outcomes for patients worldwide, bridging the gap between laboratory discoveries and practical therapeutic applications.
Dr. Gertz's leadership extends through his editorial roles on prominent journals including Amyloidosis, Acta Haematologica, and Clinical Lymphoma & Myeloma, where he shapes the scientific discourse in hematology. He has received numerous prestigious honors including the Mayo Distinguished Clinician Award, recognition as a Master of the American College of Physicians, and the Department of Medicine's lifetime research achievement award in 2019. In 2021, he was appointed chair of the Hematology approval committee for the American Board of Internal Medicine, underscoring his enduring influence on professional standards in the field. As coeditor of the seminal text Neoplastic Diseases of the Blood and through his ongoing research activities at Mayo Clinic, Dr. Gertz continues to mentor the next generation of hematologists while advancing innovative approaches to diagnose and treat challenging blood disorders.
