March 6, 2005
Lisa Diller, MD, named chief medical officer of Dana-Farber/Children's Hospital
Cancer Care, New England's largest pediatric cancer program
Lisa Diller, MD
Lisa Diller, MD, has been named chief medical officer of Dana-Farber/Children's Hospital Cancer Care (DF/CHCC) and clinical director of Pediatric Oncology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Children's Hospital Boston.
Diller has specialized in treating children with cancers at Dana-Farber and Children's since 1988. She is director of the neuroblastoma program and the founder and medical director of Dana-Farber's David B. Perini, Jr. Quality of Life Clinic, a nationally acclaimed clinical program for survivors of childhood cancers. She has been interim clinical director of DF/CHCC since 2005.
"The pediatric oncology program thrived during Lisa's appointment as interim clinical director," said Dana-Farber President Edward J. Benz, Jr., MD. "An extensive search with input from national leaders in the field of pediatric oncology led us to the unparalleled expertise already present within our own institutions."
"We are grateful for Lisa's efforts on behalf of our patients and are thrilled she has accepted these responsibilities on an ongoing basis," said James Mandell, MD, president and CEO of Children's. "Lisa has the skills and the vision to further synergize the efforts of Dana-Farber and Children's to provide the best possible care for children with cancer."
In a 50-year partnership, Dana-Farber and Children's provide comprehensive care for children with cancer and survivors of all types of childhood cancers. The pediatric oncology program, the largest in New England, is composed of four subspecialties: hematology/oncology, neuro-oncology, solid tumors, and stem cell transplantation. Outpatient care is provided at Dana-Farber's Jimmy Fund Clinic, and inpatient care and pediatric subspecialty consultation are provided at Children's. The DF/CHCC was created in 2000 to formalize and strengthen the relationship between the two institutions.
Diller received her medical degree from the University of California, San Diego, and completed her postdoctoral training at Children's and Dana-Farber. She is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics and the American Board of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology and is an associate professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School.
In addition to her clinical work at Dana-Farber and Children's, Diller has pursued two main areas of research: the treatment of patients with solid tumors, particularly neuroblastoma and Wilms' tumor, and the study of survivors of childhood cancer. She is a pioneer in using high-dose therapy and stem cell transplants in the treatment of neuroblastoma, and has led studies of new agents for treating residual neuroblastoma cells following standard therapy.
In her survivorship research, Diller has worked to reduce the incidence and severity of secondary cancers in young adults who received radiation therapy for cancer as children. She is also working to improve techniques for screening childhood cancer survivors for later-developing tumors. "It's incredibly exciting for me to assume this leadership position," Diller said. "Children's and Dana-Farber faculty members have played a significant role in advancing childhood cancer therapies, and I look forward to helping them add to an already impressive series of clinical milestones."
She added her appreciation for the work of her two predecessors in this role, Holcombe Grier, MD, and current Chief of Staff Stephen Sallan, MD. "Both Steve and Holcombe have been exceptional mentors during my time here," she remarked. "They've helped build what I consider the premier center for children's cancer care and clinical research in this field. It's an honor to have the opportunity to continue their work - and to continue working with them."
