Dr. Yuman Fong stands as a preeminent leader in surgical oncology and cancer treatment innovation, currently serving as Chairman of the Department of Surgery and holder of the Sangiacomo Family Chair in Surgical Oncology at City of Hope Cancer Center near Los Angeles. After graduating from medical school in 1984, he established himself as a rising star during his more than two-decade tenure at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, where he held the Murray F. Brennan Chair in Surgery and was promoted to full professor with tenure at Cornell University in 2000. His decision to join City of Hope in 2014 marked a significant transition in his career, bringing his expertise to one of America's premier comprehensive cancer centers. Dr. Fong's clinical focus centers on complex surgeries for liver, pancreatic, gallbladder, and bile duct cancers, areas where he has transformed patient outcomes through innovative techniques.
Dr. Fong's groundbreaking research has fundamentally reshaped the landscape of cancer treatment through his pioneering work in genetically modified viruses designed to attack and destroy cancer cells while stimulating the immune system's recognition of tumors. His laboratory's focus on developing gene and immune cell therapies for cancer has positioned him at the forefront of translational oncology research, with applications showing promise for multiple cancer types including colon cancer. Beyond viral therapies, Dr. Fong has revolutionized surgical approaches by helping usher in robotic techniques for hepato-pancreato-biliary surgery, significantly reducing recovery times from days in intensive care to outpatient procedures. His prolific scholarly output includes over 1,000 peer-reviewed publications and editing nearly two dozen authoritative textbooks, including the SAGES Atlas of Robotic Surgery, which have shaped the education and practice of surgeons worldwide.
As a recognized leader in the field, Dr. Fong has served in influential roles including Chair of the Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee of the National Institutes of Health and as Founding Editor-in-Chief of Molecular Therapy Oncolytics, the official journal of the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy. His election to the National Academy of Medicine in 2021 stands as a testament to his transformative contributions across multiple domains including liver surgery, surgical robotics, medical imaging, and gene therapy. Beyond his research and clinical work, Dr. Fong has been instrumental in designing and deploying novel surgical tools, with his engineering innovations leading to his election to the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering. Currently, he continues to advance the frontiers of cancer treatment through City of Hope's expansion efforts and high-throughput research facilities that accelerate the translation of laboratory discoveries into clinical applications for patients.
