City of Hope’s Michael Caligiuri, M.D., formally appointed to Deana and Steve Campbell Physician-in-Chief Distinguished Chair

Michael A. Caligiuri, M.D., president of City of Hope National Medical Center, has been appointed the Deana and Steve Campbell Physician-in-Chief Distinguished Chair in Honor of Alexandra Levine, M.D. The position was created in honor of Levine, a City of Hope professor of hematology who also previously served as its chief medical officer.

Caligiuri, a world-renowned physician and scientist, is a leader in the field of immunology, lymphoma and leukemia. He was elected to the National Academy of Medicine’s Class of 2018 for his breakthrough discoveries in immunology and cancer.

Caligiuri, who is past president of the American Association for Cancer Research, the world's largest cancer research organization, continues to lead a City of Hope laboratory that is conducting groundbreaking work on human natural killer cells and their modulation for the treatment of leukemia, myeloma and glioblastoma.

“Dr. Caligiuri is an exceptional and accomplished leader with a dedication to serving patients in need, particularly by utilizing innovative science to develop next-generation treatments and care,” said Robert W. Stone, City of Hope president and CEO. “He exudes limitless compassion and a steadfast devotion to caring for the whole patient.”

The genesis for the Deana and Steve Campbell chair started in 2009. At the time, Deana Campbell had been diagnosed with lymphoma and came to City of Hope to receive treatment from Levine. She received chemotherapy and went into remission but two and a half years later, the lymphoma returned. Campbell underwent a revolutionary procedure using modified HIV to kill the lymphoma cells. Today, she is cancer free.

When Levine retired as City of Hope’s chief medical officer in 2016, the Campbell family wanted to publicly and philanthropically acknowledge Levine’s legacy of caring. The family made a generous donation to City of Hope to establish the chair.

“City of Hope is immensely grateful to philanthropists Deana and Steve Campbell, whose commitment and generosity is helping advance City of Hope’s discoveries and novel therapies,” said Stone.

“I am incredibly honored to hold this distinctive position. I have known Dr. Levine for a long time, and when it comes to the way she treats patients with such heartfelt compassion, there is no one like her,” Caligiuri said. “Hers are big shoes to fill. I look forward to carrying on the strong legacy of caring that Dr. Levine started, and with the support of such a generous and resilient family.”

About City of Hope

City of Hope is an independent biomedical research and treatment center for cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases. Founded in 1913, City of Hope is a leader in bone marrow transplantation and immunotherapy such as CAR T cell therapy. City of Hope’s translational research and personalized treatment protocols advance care throughout the world. Human synthetic insulin and numerous breakthrough cancer drugs are based on technology developed at the institution. A National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center and a founding member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, City of Hope is the highest ranked cancer hospital in the West, according to U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hospitals: Specialty Ranking. Its main campus is located near Los Angeles, with additional locations throughout Southern California. For more information about City of Hope, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or Instagram.

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