Anthony Letai, MD, PhD, has been sworn in as the 18th director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the NIH, by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
Dr. Anthony Letai: Professional Background and Contributions
Dr. Letai is a Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and a medical oncologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. His research has focused on understanding how cancer cells evade death, work that directly informed the development of venetoclax, a BCL-2 inhibitor that has transformed treatment for certain blood cancers. Beyond this, he has championed the use of predictive biomarkers, helping clinicians tailor therapies to individual patients and improve outcomes in both hematologic and solid tumors.
After earning his MD and PhD from the University of Chicago, Dr. Letai trained in internal medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and completed a hematology/oncology fellowship at Dana-Farber, joining its faculty in 2004. Since then, he has built a research program that bridges laboratory science and clinical application, focusing on translating molecular insights into actionable treatments. He has been recognized with the NCI Outstanding Investigator Award, among other major honors, reflecting the impact of his work on both research and patient care.
Dr. Letai is also known for mentoring early-career investigators, cultivating a generation of scientists who are contributing to advances in cancer biology and therapy. His leadership style combines rigorous science with practical clinical insight, a balance that will guide his stewardship of NCI.
Leading the National Cancer Institute
As NCI Director, Dr. Letai inherits an institute with a broad mandate, from funding basic cancer research to overseeing large-scale clinical trials, prevention programs, and cancer epidemiology studies. His vision emphasizes precision oncology, immunotherapy, and genomic research, while also addressing health equity and access. By prioritizing research that can directly improve patient outcomes and extending innovations to underserved populations, Dr. Letai aims to ensure that scientific progress benefits all communities.
“Cancer, like other chronic diseases, was long neglected in federal research attention,” said Secretary Kennedy. “President Trump reversed that neglect, and Dr. Letai’s leadership of NCI will drive American innovation by focusing squarely on the best science to find causes and cures.”
“Dr. Letai has been immersed in the relevant science for decades and has been on the cutting edge of how we think about cancer treatment,” said NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya. “His drive, integrity, and expertise make him the right leader to harness the resources and talent at NCI to reverse America’s cancer crisis.”
NCI has historically been guided by directors who shaped its strategic direction, including figures like Dr. Harold Varmus and Dr. Norman Sharpless, who advanced molecular oncology and immunotherapy research. Dr. Letai joins this lineage with a reputation for bridging laboratory discovery with clinical impact, positioning the institute to tackle the next generation of challenges in cancer research.
Previous NCI Leaders
The role of NCI Director is one of immense responsibility, overseeing an organization that is instrumental in shaping the landscape of cancer research and treatment globally.
Since its establishment in 1937, the National Cancer Institute has had 17 directors.
- W. Kimryn Rathmell 2023-2025
- Monica M. Bertagnolli 2022-2023
- Norman E. Sharpless 2017-2022
- Harold E. Varmus 2010-2015
- John E. Niederhuber 2006-2010
- Andrew C. von Eschenbach 2002-2006
- Richard D. Klausner 1995-2001
- Samuel Broder 1988-1995
- Vincent T. DeVita, Jr. 1980-1988
- Arthur Canfield Upton 1977-1980
- Frank Joseph Rauscher, Jr. 1972-1976
- Carl Gwin Baker 1970-1972
- Kenneth Millo Endicott 1960-1969
- John Roderick Heller 1948-1960
- Leonard Andrew Scheele 1947-1948
- Roscoe Roy Spencer 1943-1947
- Carl Voegtlin 1938-1943
Leaders and organizations across medicine and research congratulated him on his appointment.
The National Institutes of Health:
“Dr. Anthony Letai was sworn in today as the new director of NIH’s National Cancer Institute. Dr. Letai holds decades of experience studying cell death in cancer, identifying predictive biomarkers, and developing new treatments, including cellular immunotherapies.
Dr. Letai will oversee the nation’s premier cancer research agency, which works to dramatically reduce the prevalence of cancer, a critical step in our quest to reduce chronic illness and Make America Healthy Again. Welcome, Dr. Letai!
American Association for Cancer Research (AACR):
“The AACR congratulates Anthony Letai, MD, PhD, on his appointment as the 18th Director of the National Cancer Institute. Dr. Letai has been an AACR member since 2001, and he currently serves as a program committee co-chair for the AACR Annual Meeting 2026 and as a member of the AACR Hematologic Malignancies Working Group Steering Committee.
We look forward to working with Dr. Letai and NCI to advance our shared mission to prevent and cure all cancers.”
American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN):
“Dr. Anthony Letai has been named as the National Cancer Institute (NCI)’s new director. This role is critical to ensuring ongoing innovation in oncology.
Shane Jacobson, CEO of the American Cancer Society and ACS CAN, said:
‘With over 2 million new cancer cases expected to be diagnosed this year, this is a critical time for the NCI, an agency that, with appropriate and sustainable funding, can produce scientific discoveries that get us closer to finding cures for the more than 200 diseases we know as cancer. We look forward to working with Dr. Letai and the NCI staff toward our shared goal of ending cancer as we know it for everyone, by prioritizing effective, transparent, and evidence-based cancer research infrastructure and processes, including broad access to clinical trials, that can speed up progress in the fight against cancer.’
Read the full statement.”
“Congratulations to Tony Letai, MD, PhD, on being named the new director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI). An internationally renowned researcher and oncologist, Letai has helped shape our understanding of cancer through his study of cell death. His appointment is a testament to our continuing commitment to innovation and collaboration.
“Congratulations to Dr. Tony Letai on his appointment as Director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Dr. Letai is an accomplished scientist with a remarkable track record of discovery at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, one of our key Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy (PICI) sites.
Our goal at PICI is to develop and accelerate access to breakthrough cancer therapies, curating innovation from discovery to commercialization. We look forward to collaborating with NCI under Dr. Letai’s leadership, and to bringing forward the next generation of cancer cures, together.”
OncoDaily Congratulates Dr. Anthony Letai
OncoDaily would like to extend its heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Anthony Letai on his appointment as the 18th Director of the National Cancer Institute. With his extensive background in cancer research and patient-centered care, Dr. Letai’s leadership promises to guide the NCI through an exciting new phase of cancer research and treatment. We look forward to the innovative strides that the NCI will make under his guidance and to the continued advancements in cancer science that will benefit patients worldwide.
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