James A. Fagin has been appointed a Member of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Chief of the Endocrinology Service in the Department of Medicine, and a member of the Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program. As Chief of Endocrinology, he succeeds Richard J. Robbins, who led the service for ten years, and R. Michael Tuttle, who became Acting Chief in 2005.
Dr. Fagin comes to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, where he was Director of the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Heady Professor of Medicine, and a Professor of Cell Biology, Neurobiology, and Anatomy for 11 years. Prior to that he was with the University of California, Los Angeles, School of Medicine.
The focus of Dr. Fagin's work is to understand the pathogenesis and biology of thyroid cancers with the goal of identifying new molecular-based therapies. His research has been instrumental in characterizing many of the genetic changes that lead to thyroid cancers -- both those caused by exposure to radiation and those that occur sporadically.
"Dr. Fagin is an internationally known translational scientist and outstanding endocrinologist," said George J. Bosl, Chair of the Department of Medicine. "His work has provided seminal insight into the pathogenesis of thyroid cancer and sets the stage for targeted therapy of this disease. In addition, his broad interests in endocrinology will enhance many of our current strong programs."
Dr. Fagin received his MD degree from the University of Buenos Aires School of Medicine in Argentina, where he was born. He completed his internship in Buenos Aires, residency in the UK, and fellowships in Buenos Aires and at the VA Wadsworth Medical Center in Los Angeles. Dr. Fagin is board certified in internal medicine and in endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism.
