NYU Langone Health Names Alec C. Kimmelman, MD, PhD as Next CEO and Dean

April 1, 2025 |

7 min read

Renowned Radiation Oncologist and Director of Laura and Isaac Perlmutter

Cancer Center, Dr. Kimmelman will succeed retiring CEO and Dean

Robert I. Grossman, MD, on September 1

NEW YORK, March 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Following an extensive national search, NYU Langone Health has named Alec C. Kimmelman, MD, PhD, as its next Chief Executive Officer and Dean of NYU Grossman School of Medicine. Dr. Kimmelman, a distinguished physician and internationally renowned researcher, most recently served as director of the Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center at NYU Langone since 2023 and has been a leader at the institution since 2016.

His appointment, which takes effect September 1, follows the retirement of Robert I. Grossman, MD, who in his 18 years transformed NYU Langone Health from what was once a small regional hospital into one of the nation's premier integrated academic health systems with seven inpatient locations, over 320 outpatient sites, two tuition-free medical schools, and a vast research enterprise. Dr. Kimmelman's appointment was confirmed in a unanimous vote by NYU Langone's Board of Trustees.

"We are excited to name Dr. Kimmelman to this position given his extraordinary talent, leadership experience, and strong character. He is the right choice to build on Bob's legacy and lead our institution into its next phase of innovation and impact," said Kenneth Langone, chair of the NYU Langone Board of Trustees, and co-chair of the search committee. "Finding Bob's successor was a formidable task, given his countless contributions to our institution, but we found such a leader in Dr. Kimmelman, who has demonstrated tremendous leadership throughout his career."

"I am humbled and excited to be the next CEO and Dean of NYU Langone and appreciate the confidence the Board of Trustees and the search committee have placed in me. I look forward to building upon Dr. Grossman's astonishing record of achievements that have catapulted this institution to be one of the top-ranked health systems in the nation," said Dr. Kimmelman. "This is a wonderful opportunity to lead and support our talented and dedicated team as we work together to deliver the best outcomes in patient care, education, and science."

Dr. Kimmelman's appointment comes at a time of great opportunity and expansion for NYU Langone, which last year posted $14.2 billion in revenues, added a new hospital in Suffolk County, and plans for a comprehensive outpatient location in West Palm Beach, Florida—all while being ranked No. 1 out of 115 comprehensive academic medical centers across the nation by Vizient, Inc. for the third year in a row. NYU Langone has become known for the vast range of top-ranked medical services it provides across all its locations, with each offering one consistently high standard of care.

"Throughout his career at NYU Langone, most recently leading Perlmutter Cancer Center, Dr. Kimmelman has further established our integrated academic health system as a leader in research and treatment, particularly through his innovative work in molecular oncology," Dr. Grossman said. "Leading NYU Langone for the past 18 years has been the honor of a lifetime, and I could not ask for a better successor. His wealth of expertise and sharp leadership skills will serve NYU Langone exceedingly well as we continue to advance our mission: to care, to teach, to discover, and to provide the best patient experience across all our disciplines and network."

"I am thrilled to begin my tenure later this year as chair of NYU Langone's Board of Trustees as Dr. Kimmelman begins his tenure as CEO and Dean," said Fiona B. Druckenmiller. "Ken and Dr. Grossman shared a bold vision and an amazing partnership that made NYU Langone what it is today. I am excited to cultivate a similar working relationship with Dr. Kimmelman as we forge ahead together to bring the highest quality care to our patients and communities."

"Eighteen years ago, I had the privilege of chairing the search committee that appointed Dr. Grossman, and I have taken great pride in that decision ever since. Today, after looking back on all that NYU Langone has achieved under his leadership, I now look forward to all that we can accomplish under Dr. Kimmelman," said Department of Orthopedic Surgery Chair Joseph D. Zuckerman, MD, search committee co-chair. "This is the right choice at the right time to sustain the incredible momentum that will drive NYU Langone into the future."

"Over the past two decades, the entire New York University community has watched with admiration NYU Langone's ascent to one of the nation's top academic health systems under Dr. Grossman's leadership," said NYU President Linda G. Mills. "After hearing Dr. Kimmelman's vision for the future of NYU Langone, through my role on the search committee, the choice was clear: He is far and away the best person to lead this truly exceptional health system into its next era."

The search for Dr. Grossman's successor began in July 2024, following the announcement of his retirement, with a search committee that included leaders from across the institution as well as the Board of Trustees.

Dr. Grossman, who has served as both CEO of NYU Langone and Dean of the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, will have a new role as executive vice president to the Board of Trustees.

About Alec C. Kimmelman, MD, PhD

Dr. Kimmelman joined NYU Langone in 2016, growing a roster of top-tier researchers and clinicians who deliver world-class care in cancer treatment. In addition to director of the Perlmutter Cancer Center, he is the Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Professor of Radiation Oncology and chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology, and the associate dean of Cancer Research at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine.

Dr. Kimmelman has published over 100 articles that extensively delve into the field of oncology. As an NIH-funded investigator, he has been studying the critical biological functions of Ras oncogenes for more than 20 years. Dr. Kimmelman's lab is currently focused on the basic and translational science of pancreatic cancer biology. His research has elucidated unique metabolic pathways in pancreatic cancer and has identified how the Kras oncogene can re-wire the metabolism of these tumors. This body of work has served to define the metabolic landscape of pancreatic cancer, paving the way for multiple clinical trials in the disease.

Under his leadership, Perlmutter Cancer Center established its new Center for Molecular Oncology in October 2024, which has already begun to redefine the standard of cancer care by ensuring that every patient receives liquid biopsies, enabling their tumor DNA to be sequenced. The molecular data gives clinicians at Perlmutter Cancer Center critical access to diagnostic information as well as more granular characterizations that can help them match each cancer to the best available therapies.

Dr. Kimmelman earned his MD and PhD from the former Mount Sinai School of Medicine before joining Harvard Medical School as a clinical fellow and completed his training in radiation oncology, as well as a postdoctoral fellowship at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Prior to joining NYU Langone, Dr. Kimmelman ran a vibrant research program at Dana-Farber focused on pancreatic cancer. He was also an attending physician in Brigham and Women's Hospital and Dana-Farber, where he specialized in gastrointestinal malignancies, including pancreatic cancer. He serves as an ad-hoc reviewer and editorial board member of several leading scientific journals. His own research has been published in many prestigious journals, including Cell, Science, Nature, Cancer Cell, Cancer Discovery, and Genes & Development. He has received numerous honors and awards, including the Ruth Leff Siegel Award for Excellence in Pancreatic Cancer Research from Columbia University for the researcher who has made the most significant contribution to pancreatic cancer research and Outstanding Investigator Award from the National Cancer Institute. He was also elected to the American Society for Clinical Investigation and the Association of American Physicians. In 2021, Dr. Kimmelman was named as one of the world's most influential researchers by Clarivate, a recognition for authoring papers that were in the top 1 percent of his field.

About NYU Langone Health

NYU Langone Health is a fully integrated health system that consistently achieves the best patient outcomes through a rigorous focus on quality that has resulted in some of the lowest mortality rates in the nation. Vizient, Inc. has ranked NYU Langone No. 1 out of 115 comprehensive academic medical centers across the nation for three years in a row, and U.S. News & World Report recently placed nine of its clinical specialties among the top five in the nation. NYU Langone offers a comprehensive range of medical services with one high standard of care across seven inpatient locations, its Perlmutter Cancer Center, and more than 320 outpatient locations in the New York area and Florida. With $14.2 billion in revenue this year, the system also includes two tuition-free medical schools, in Manhattan and on Long Island, and a vast research enterprise.

Media Inquiries:

Steve Ritea

Phone: 212-404-3525

Steve.Ritea@nyulangone.org

Downloadable Link to Headshot of Dr. Kimmelman here.