W. Kimryn Rathmell, MD, PhD, former director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI), has accepted the role as CEO of The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center 鈥� Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute. Pending approval by the university Board of Trustees, Rathmell will start on May 27.
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Following a comprehensive national search, W. Kimryn Rathmell, MD, PhD, former director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI), has accepted the role as CEO of The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (). Pending approval by the university Board of Trustees, Rathmell will start on May 27.
“On behalf of Buckeyes everywhere, I am thrilled to welcome Dr. Rathmell to Ohio State. Her exceptional caliber of leadership and visionary approach to cancer research and care exemplifies our firm commitment to excellence,” said , president of The Ohio State University. “Ohio State exists to make our state and nation better, and our cancer program is one of the many ways we live up to that commitment. Having a leader like Dr. Rathmell at its helm will ensure we continue to improve and save the lives of Ohioans who are impacted by cancer.”
Most recently, Rathmell served as the 17th director of the NCI from December 2023 to January 2025. During her tenure, she launched the Early-Onset Cancer Initiative and focused on improving health equity in cancer care, in particular through an NCI advisory group charged with developing recommendations to enhance cancer research and care delivery in underserved and rural communities. She previously served on the NCI’s Board of Scientific Advisors.
Prior to leading the NCI, she served as a professor of medicine and biochemistry at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where she ultimately held the titles of Hugh Jackson Morgan Endowed Professor in the Department of Medicine, physician-in-chief and chair of the Department of Medicine. She also previously held faculty positions at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she led a clinical and translational trials program focused on pre-operative therapy, integrated genomics and functional imaging in kidney cancer.
In her new role at Ohio State, Rathmell will be responsible for the clinical and research excellence of Ohio State’s cancer program, including operational oversight of both The James and the Comprehensive Cancer Center.
She also will hold the inaugural Jeri B. Block and Robert H. Schottenstein Distinguished Chair in Cancer, pending board approval. This $10 million endowed chair position is the largest ever established at Ohio State.
“Dr. Rathmell’s reputation as a nationally renowned physician-scientist and kidney cancer expert is matched only by her extensive experience and prestigious leadership roles in academic medicine and public service,” said , MD, CEO of The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and executive vice president at Ohio State. “Our cancer program is recognized for its impact, not just for the patients and families we serve across the state of Ohio, but on the future of cancer research nationally and internationally. Her impressive track record strongly positions her to lead the OSUCCC – James to further prominence on the global stage of cancer research and care, and we’re delighted she has chosen to continue her career at Ohio State.”
Rathmell is a recognized national leader and has been elected to the National Academy of Medicine, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Earlier this year, she received the American Cancer Society Medal of Honor, the highest honor bestowed by the organization. She also has held leadership roles for the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the Department of Defense Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (Kidney Cancer Research Program) and the American Society for Clinical Investigation (ASCI), where she served as president in 2019-2020.
“The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center and The James has a stellar reputation for innovative research and its breadth and depth of exceptional, compassionate cancer care. I’m energized by the collaborative leadership across the health system and university, the commitment of the faculty, staff and trainees, as well as by Ohio State’s ambitious vision of creating a cancer-free world,” said Rathmell. “Ohio State is a place that embraces the excitement of possibility and takes bold steps in advancing biomedical breakthroughs that provide hope and healing. Together, we will lead the way to reduce the burden of cancer.”
Rathmell earned her PhD in biophysics (1996) and her MD (1998) from Stanford University. She completed an internship in internal medicine at the University of Chicago and an internal medicine residency and medical oncology fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania. In 2022, she earned her Master of Management in Health Care from Vanderbilt University. She and her husband, Jeffrey Rathmell, PhD, have two children.
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