College of Medicine Names Cancer and Cell Biology Chair

CINCINNATI—The University of Cincinnati (UC) College of Medicine has named Jorge Moscat, PhD, chairman of the newly formed department of cancer and cell biology.

Moscat’s appointment became effective March 15, 2008, and is pending approval by the UC Board of Trustees.

Moscat has served as interim director of the department of molecular oncogenesis (formerly department of genome science) since July 2007. He was recruited to UC in 2006 from the Spanish National Research Council.

“Naming Dr. Moscat to chair cancer and cell biology represents the first appointment to the joint cancer program,” said David Stern, MD, College of Medicine dean and vice president for health affairs at the UC Academic Health Center. “I am delighted to have a scientist of his caliber and commitment to lead the basic science effort of this program.”

The appointment also sparked the merger of the departments of molecular oncogenesis and cell and cancer biology—bringing together nearly 40 faculty from UC’s Genome Research Institute and Vontz Center for Molecular Studies with research expertise in genetics, immunology and nutrient signaling.  

Moscat’s lab investigates molecular and cellular events underlying asthma, cancer and obesity. He has authored and/or coauthored more than 100 publications in peer-reviewed journals. He has been a member of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) since 1995, and in 2006 was elected a member of the Academia Europaea. He serves on the editorial board of EMBO Journal and EMBO Reports. In 2001, he was honored with the Award of the Juan March Foundation—a leading charity in Spain dedicated to social research.

Born in Brazil, Moscat received his undergraduate degree in biochemistry and PhD in molecular biology from the Universidad Complutense, Madrid. He has held research positions at the Hospital Clinico San Carlos and the Hospital Gregorio Marañón, both in Madrid, and the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health.

“Dr. Moscat has shown himself to be a devoted mentor and advisor to junior faculty and trainees at every level,” said Stern. “He will be a wonderful addition to the leadership team in cancer biology and patient care that we are building with University Hospital and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.” 

Stern added that such a recruitment could not have been accomplished without the collaborative interactions which form the core of the joint cancer program.

Arnold Strauss, MD, chair of the department of pediatrics and director of the Cincinnati Children’s Research Foundation, noted that Moscat’s experience in inflammation and immunology research, as well as in cancer biology, fits well with the scientific goals of the joint cancer program.

Moscat replaces Peter Stambrook, PhD, who has led the department of cell and cancer biology (formerly cell biology, neurobiology and anatomy) as the Francis Brunning Chair and Professor since 1996. Stambrook will remain active at UC as a professor of cancer and cell biology.

The department of molecular oncogenesis (formerly genome science) was previously chaired by David Millhorn, PhD. George Thomas, PhD, served as interim chair from September 2005 to June 2007.

The department of cancer and cell biology is part of a joint cancer program involving the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and University Hospital. The collaborative initiative brings together interdisciplinary research teams of caring scientists and health professionals to research and develop new cures, while providing a continuum of care for children, adults and families with cancer.