Dear faculty, staff and students,
On behalf of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, I am delighted to announce the appointment of Mark Jackson, PhD, MBA, as the new vice dean of graduate education.
Dr. Jackson, professor of pathology, has played a pivotal role in training the next generation of cancer researchers and oncologists as director of the Cancer Biology Training Program and associate director for training and education—and member of the molecular oncology program—in the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center. Among his many accomplishments, he has helped develop and manage numerous pathways for high school and undergraduate students, including multiple training grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) supporting high school students, undergraduates, graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. Many of these students are from racial groups that have been historically underrepresented in medicine and research, with the goal of increasing the diversity of the biomedical research workforce.
“I’m excited to build on the growth and innovation in biomedical graduate education developed and expanded under Marvin Nieman’s leadership,” Jackson shared. “A hallmark achievement has been providing career and professional development programming that is responsive to our students’ interests in learning the different paths and options that our many graduate programs provide.”
As a leading cancer researcher with NIH and Department of Defense funding, Jackson’s lab specializes in understanding the tumor microenvironment and the various proteins and cytokines that regulate cancer cell and immune cell functions within the tumor ecosystem. By examining how tumor cells suppress the immune system, his lab research focuses on developing novel therapeutic approaches to circumvent immune suppression and reactivate anti-tumor immunity.
Please join me in congratulating Dr. Jackson as he leads graduate education in his new role, bringing innovative approaches to inspire and meet the needs of students.
Sincerely,
Stan Gerson, MD
Dean, CWRU School of Medicine
Director, National Center for Regenerative Medicine