Jeffrey Rathmell, PhD, a pioneer in immune and cancer cell metabolism research, has been named Chair of the and Director of the at the University of Chicago, effective July 1, 2025.
Rathmell joins UChicago from Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where he is the Cornelius Vanderbilt Professor of Immunobiology and Director of the Vanderbilt Center for Immunobiology. Over the past 25 years, his research has helped shape the field of immunometabolism and advance the understanding of the tumor microenvironment and immune system function. His work bridges genetics, signaling and metabolism in tumor immunology, autoimmunity and immune therapies to identify connections between obesity and cancer, discover new immunometabolic regulatory mechanisms, and decipher the impact of temperature and fever on metabolism and immunity.
Rathmell earned his PhD in immunology from Stanford University before completing a postdoctoral fellowship under Craig B. Thompson at UChicago and later at the University of Pennsylvania. He began his independent faculty career in 2003 at Duke University in the Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, where he also served as Director of Graduate Studies for Pharmacology.
In 2015, Rathmell joined Vanderbilt as the founding director of the Vanderbilt Center for Immunobiology and research program co-leader for the Host-Tumor Interactions Program of the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center. During his tenure, he spearheaded initiatives to strengthen basic science immunology education, expand faculty recruitment, and develop team-science projects that led to collaborations and new research platforms in human immunogenetics and the intersection of obesity and cancer.
“We are thrilled Dr. Rathmell will be joining our organization,” said Mark Anderson, MD, PhD, Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs at UChicago. “He will build on the Ben May Department’s strengths in cancer cell signaling and leverage collaborations with our to expand efforts to understand the role of the tumor microenvironment, metabolism, and immunity in cancer biology and response to therapy.”
The Ben May Department for Cancer Research, founded in 1951 with support from philanthropist Ben May, has a long-standing legacy of groundbreaking discoveries in cancer biology. The work done by the collection of laboratories within the department has advanced cancer treatment by uncovering fundamental biological mechanisms and translating them into innovative therapies. The Ludwig Center at UChicago, part of the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research network and linked to the UCCCC, is dedicated to understanding and combating cancer through pioneering research in tumor biology, immunology, and precision medicine.
Rathmell succeeds , who has been chair the department since 2013 after serving as vice chair since 2000. Under Greene’s leadership, the department expanded its faculty and research focus to encompass cancer metabolism, immuno-oncology, and genetic alterations that promote cancer. A leading expert in hormone-dependent breast cancer, Greene joined UChicago in 1974 as a postdoctoral researcher in the lab of Dr. Elwood Jensen before joining the faculty in 1980. He previously served as chair of the Committee on Cancer Biology graduate program and as Associate Director of Basic Sciences in the Comprehensive Cancer Center. Greene will continue his research on breast cancer therapeutics.
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