Cedars-Sinai Cancer Director Stepping Down

Dan Theodorescu, MD, PhD, director of Cedars-Sinai Cancer, is stepping down after six years of distinguished service to pursue new professional opportunities.

During Theodorescu’s tenure, Cedars-Sinai Cancer doubled its National Institutes of Health funding and dramatically expanded the scope and breadth of research. The Cancer team also increased the integration of services across a growing regional network of providers and deepened outreach initiatives with community partners to reduce disparities in cancer research and clinical care.

“Dr. Theodorescu, an internationally recognized bladder cancer scientist and clinician, has made invaluable contributions to the growth of Cedars-Sinai Cancer and the Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute,” said Peter L. Slavin, MD, president and CEO of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and Cedars-Sinai Health System.

Theodorescu’s leadership of the Molecular Twin initiative continues to transform how investigators approach precision oncology and personalized cancer treatments for patients. He has led groundbreaking research into the relationship between the loss of the Y chromosome and cancer progression among older men.

“We thank Dr. Theodorescu for his outstanding contributions to our thriving Cancer enterprise and wish him every success,” said Shlomo Melmed, MB, ChB, executive vice president of Medicine and Health Sciences and dean of the Medical Faculty. “We look forward to watching his career flourish.”

Theodorescu will be stepping down Feb. 28. Robert Figlin, MD, deputy director of Cedars-Sinai Cancer, will serve as interim director while a national search for a new director is conducted. Cristina Ferrone, MD, chair of the Department of Surgery, will serve as interim co-director for cancer clinical services, and Ze’ev Ronai, PhD, will serve as interim cancer scientific director.

Read more from the Cedars-Sinai Blog: How a Molecular Twin Is Changing Cancer Treatment, Research