Jonathan Lewis (oncologist)
Encyclopedia
Jonathan J. Lewis MD, PhD, is a surgeon, biomedical researcher, and entrepreneur. He was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. His family includes his parents, Maisie Lewis, a music educator, and Myer Lewis, a prominent barrister and human rights advocate, a sister Anne, and a brother Selwyn, a former banker specializing in solving countries financing problems precipitated by weak currencies, now the founder and chairman of a well known sport management company Treble Sports.
Lewis was trained in surgery in South Africa, Britain, and the United States, and is a fellow of both the Royal College of Surgeons
, and American College of Surgeons
. His subspecialty was cancer, and he spent a decade at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
in New York City both treating patients and doing extensive research.
, Lewis was part of a group known as the “Legends of Yale” which includes Walter Longo, the current Vice Chairman of Surgery at Yale University
; Steve Leach, the current Vice Chairman of Surgery at Johns Hopkins Medical School; Jim Goldenring, the current Vice Chairman at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
and Margret Oddsdotir, who until recently, was Chairman of Surgery of the Reykjavík University
Iceland. Margret Oddsdotir died of breast cancer in January 2009 and during her treatment she was under Larry Norton and Lewis' care until her last day. In her honor, Yale has set up a memorial lectureship, Lewis sits on the board, where the 9th edition of Schwartz's Principles of Surgery textbook was dedicated to her.
, he built a reputation for scholarly research, teaching skills and dedication to and excellence in patient care. He often took on patients that others had left for dead, and treated many who lacked insurance, or could not pay. Over the years, because of his extensive experience and outstanding reputation for an extraordinary high standard in patient care, courage, compassion and very good results, Lewis was often sought after by famous and high profile individuals from all over the world. While he would treat those who could not pay he would also treat world leaders, actors and entertainers, sports legends and many others.
of the South Africa national rugby union team
, the Springboks that won the Rugby World Cup
in 1995 together with his surgical mentor Murray Brennan and research mentor David Golde. Lewis successfully operated on Christie prior to him undergoing experimental therapy. This team, its captain Francois Pienaar
and Nelson Mandela
became a symbol of the rainbow nation of the new South Africa. They all became very close as Christie died in 1998.http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1057500 He later helped take care of Chief Justice Ismail Mahomed
for pancreas cancer. Mahomed was the country's first non-white judge of the Supreme Court of South Africa
and was subsequently made the Chief Justice by President Nelson Mandela
. He helped look after Gordon Brown (rugby union) "Broon frae Troon", as he was affectionately known, who played second row for Scotland
and the British Lions
. There are several "Wall Plaques" at Sloan-Kettering from patients, and their families in gratitude of Lewis. Amongst the most notable is one from the family of a young lady who had been left for dead, had no insurance or health coverage, but despite this underwent an enormous and successful operation and is alive today. Another is from the family of a former NYPD Chief who died from pancreas cancer.http://www.nyc.gov/html/om/html/2000a/pr233-00.html Legend has it that he waited for Lewis to get back from the Manchester United treble victory in 1999 (The Treble
), celebrated the victory with him, and then died later that day. More recently, he helped take care of Kate McGarrigle
encouraging her to perform with her family at the Royal Albert Hall
on December 9, 2009 just 6 weeks before her death in January 2010. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/arts/goodbye-sweet-harmony/article1436711/
in unrelated areas and companies, and gave all of the money made to charitable causes. He was eventually recruited to head a biotech startup. His expertise in biology and innovation and ability to effectively bridge the translation between industry, academia and government has made him sought after and he currently serves as CEO and Executive Chairman of ZIOPHARM Oncology. He has worked with Harold E. Varmus
and Brook Byers
to support Arlen Specter
with increased biomedical research funding. He also has a reputation for honesty and integrity. As an example, ZIOPHARM presented 3 positive studies at ASCO
2009, but also submitted one negative study, also published in the same ASCO abstract book.
(New Haven, CT) in 1990. Between these years he became a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and Glasgow in 1987. At Yale he trained under Elton Cahow and William Collins. He then went to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
in New York City and trained under Murray Brennan. At Sloan-Kettering Institute he completed postdoctoral research in the labs of David Golde and Alan Houghton.
, and he is currently Executive Chairman and CEO of ZIOPHARM Oncology in New York City and Boston. He has worked as a specialist advisor and board member with several large pharma and biotech companies. He has been the invited visiting professor, and named lecturer at multiple premier medical and business schools in the USA, Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia and Australia. Lewis also has been on the board of numerous charitable and non-profit organizations, as well as private and public companies. Included amongst these are the Congressional Business Council, Sarcoma Foundation of America, POPPA/ NYPD, Rexies, ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc, Yale Biotechnology and Pharma Society, and the Hope Funds for Cancer.
Lewis was trained in surgery in South Africa, Britain, and the United States, and is a fellow of both the Royal College of Surgeons
Royal College of Surgeons of England
The Royal College of Surgeons of England is an independent professional body and registered charity committed to promoting and advancing the highest standards of surgical care for patients, regulating surgery, including dentistry, in England and Wales...
, and American College of Surgeons
American College of Surgeons
The American College of Surgeons is an educational association of surgeons created in 1913 to improve the quality of care for the surgical patient by setting high standards for surgical education and practice.-Membership:...
. His subspecialty was cancer, and he spent a decade at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Memorial Sloan–Kettering Cancer Center is a cancer treatment and research institution founded in 1884 as the New York Cancer Hospital...
in New York City both treating patients and doing extensive research.
Yale
During his time at Yale UniversityYale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
, Lewis was part of a group known as the “Legends of Yale” which includes Walter Longo, the current Vice Chairman of Surgery at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
; Steve Leach, the current Vice Chairman of Surgery at Johns Hopkins Medical School; Jim Goldenring, the current Vice Chairman at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
Vanderbilt University School of Medicine is a medical school located in Nashville, TN. Currently ranked 15th out of 126 accredited medical schools in the U.S News & World Report 2010 rankings, the school of medicine has a reputation as a center of research and high-quality clinical care. Vanderbilt...
and Margret Oddsdotir, who until recently, was Chairman of Surgery of the Reykjavík University
Reykjavík University
Reykjavík University is a private university in Reykjavík, Iceland, and is chartered by the Chamber of Commerce, the Federation of Icelandic Industries, and the Confederation of Icelandic Employers....
Iceland. Margret Oddsdotir died of breast cancer in January 2009 and during her treatment she was under Larry Norton and Lewis' care until her last day. In her honor, Yale has set up a memorial lectureship, Lewis sits on the board, where the 9th edition of Schwartz's Principles of Surgery textbook was dedicated to her.
Sloan-Kettering
During his tenure at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer CenterMemorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Memorial Sloan–Kettering Cancer Center is a cancer treatment and research institution founded in 1884 as the New York Cancer Hospital...
, he built a reputation for scholarly research, teaching skills and dedication to and excellence in patient care. He often took on patients that others had left for dead, and treated many who lacked insurance, or could not pay. Over the years, because of his extensive experience and outstanding reputation for an extraordinary high standard in patient care, courage, compassion and very good results, Lewis was often sought after by famous and high profile individuals from all over the world. While he would treat those who could not pay he would also treat world leaders, actors and entertainers, sports legends and many others.
Patients
There are many stories and legends about people he has operated on and cared for. He was also known as an outstanding rugby player and treated the head coach, Kitch ChristieKitch Christie
George Moir Christie, better known as Kitch Christie , was a South African rugby union coach best known for coaching the country's national team, the Springboks, to victory at the 1995 Rugby World Cup...
of the South Africa national rugby union team
South Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
, the Springboks that won the Rugby World Cup
Rugby World Cup
The Rugby World Cup is an international rugby union competition organised by the International Rugby Board and held every four years since 1987....
in 1995 together with his surgical mentor Murray Brennan and research mentor David Golde. Lewis successfully operated on Christie prior to him undergoing experimental therapy. This team, its captain Francois Pienaar
Francois Pienaar
Jacobus Francois Pienaar is a South African former rugby union player. He played flanker for South Africa from 1993 until 1996, winning 29 international caps, all of them as captain. He is best known for leading South Africa to victory in the 1995 Rugby World Cup...
and Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing...
became a symbol of the rainbow nation of the new South Africa. They all became very close as Christie died in 1998.http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1057500 He later helped take care of Chief Justice Ismail Mahomed
Ismail Mahomed
Justice Ismail Mahomed was a South African lawyer who served as the Chief Justice of South Africa and the Supreme Court of Namibia, and co-authored the constitution of Namibia.-Early life:...
for pancreas cancer. Mahomed was the country's first non-white judge of the Supreme Court of South Africa
Supreme Court of South Africa
The Supreme Court of South Africa was a superior court of law in South Africa from 1910 to 1996. It was made up of various provincial and local divisions with jurisdiction over specific geographical areas, and an Appellate Division which was the highest appellate court in the country...
and was subsequently made the Chief Justice by President Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing...
. He helped look after Gordon Brown (rugby union) "Broon frae Troon", as he was affectionately known, who played second row for Scotland
Scotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
and the British Lions
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
. There are several "Wall Plaques" at Sloan-Kettering from patients, and their families in gratitude of Lewis. Amongst the most notable is one from the family of a young lady who had been left for dead, had no insurance or health coverage, but despite this underwent an enormous and successful operation and is alive today. Another is from the family of a former NYPD Chief who died from pancreas cancer.http://www.nyc.gov/html/om/html/2000a/pr233-00.html Legend has it that he waited for Lewis to get back from the Manchester United treble victory in 1999 (The Treble
The Treble
The term treble or Treble is used in association football to refer to a team winning three trophies in a single season. Honours usually considered to contribute to a treble are the top-tier domestic league competition, domestic cup competitions, and continental tournaments; although this depends to...
), celebrated the victory with him, and then died later that day. More recently, he helped take care of Kate McGarrigle
Kate McGarrigle
Kate McGarrigle, CM was a Canadian folk music singer-songwriter, who wrote and performed as a duo with her sister Anna McGarrigle....
encouraging her to perform with her family at the Royal Albert Hall
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
on December 9, 2009 just 6 weeks before her death in January 2010. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/arts/goodbye-sweet-harmony/article1436711/
Research
Over the years, his research lab and interests overlapped with several biotech and large pharmaceutical companies. He was associated with the development of several successful and innovative cancer drugs both in the US and throughout the world. There are rumors that he was very good at advising several investors in biotechnologyBiotechnology
Biotechnology is a field of applied biology that involves the use of living organisms and bioprocesses in engineering, technology, medicine and other fields requiring bioproducts. Biotechnology also utilizes these products for manufacturing purpose...
in unrelated areas and companies, and gave all of the money made to charitable causes. He was eventually recruited to head a biotech startup. His expertise in biology and innovation and ability to effectively bridge the translation between industry, academia and government has made him sought after and he currently serves as CEO and Executive Chairman of ZIOPHARM Oncology. He has worked with Harold E. Varmus
Harold E. Varmus
Harold Elliot Varmus is an American Nobel Prize-winning scientist and the 14th and current Director of the National Cancer Institute, a post he was appointed to by President Barack Obama. He was a co-recipient Harold Elliot Varmus (born December 18, 1939) is an American Nobel Prize-winning...
and Brook Byers
Brook Byers
Brook Byers is a senior partner at Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and the brother of Stanford University Professor Tom Byers and Atlanta, Georgia engineering entrepreneur ....
to support Arlen Specter
Arlen Specter
Arlen Specter is a former United States Senator from Pennsylvania. Specter is a Democrat, but was a Republican from 1965 until switching to the Democratic Party in 2009...
with increased biomedical research funding. He also has a reputation for honesty and integrity. As an example, ZIOPHARM presented 3 positive studies at ASCO
Ascó
Ascó is a large village in the comarca of Ribera d'Ebre, Catalonia, Spain, on the right bank of the Ebre river. The village of Ascó is known for its nuclear power station, and for excellent fishing in the river....
2009, but also submitted one negative study, also published in the same ASCO abstract book.
Education
Lewis received his MB. B.Ch. from University of Witwatersrand in 1982, and his Ph.D., degree in the Molecular and Cell Biology of Growth Factor Signal Transduction from the Witwatersrand (Johannesburg) and Yale School of MedicineYale School of Medicine
The Yale School of Medicine at Yale University is a private medical school located in New Haven, Connecticut, U.S. It was founded in 1810 as The Medical Institution of Yale College, and formally opened its doors in 1813....
(New Haven, CT) in 1990. Between these years he became a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and Glasgow in 1987. At Yale he trained under Elton Cahow and William Collins. He then went to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Memorial Sloan–Kettering Cancer Center is a cancer treatment and research institution founded in 1884 as the New York Cancer Hospital...
in New York City and trained under Murray Brennan. At Sloan-Kettering Institute he completed postdoctoral research in the labs of David Golde and Alan Houghton.
Scientific Contribution
Lewis work has been involved in better understanding the biology and treatment of several difficult to treat cancers, and hence helping to advance the treatment of cancer. This includes the use of one of the 1st peptides and DNA vaccines with active immunotherapy using T cells to treat cancer, a better understanding of the biology and role of surgery in retroperitoneal sarcoma, the liberal and correct use of re-resection in extremity sarcoma , the development of several novel small molecule cancer drugs, the potential use of vaccines in pancreatic cancer, and to the use of lower-cost small molecule oral drugs globally to treat cancer. He is also involved in policy leadership and innovative cost-effective therapeutic approaches in general.Honors and awards
Lewis has numerous honors and awards from throughout the world in medicine and science. These include the Sulliman Medal for Physiology and Biochemistry, the Gold Medal from the American Board of Surgeons, Yale University Ohse Award, NIH/NIDDK Traveling Fellowship Award (Impact of molecular genetics on molecular disease), the Trubshaw Medal in Surgery, the ASCO Young Investigator Award, The Sloan-Kettering Teaching Award, Kristen Ann Carr Fellowship, Americas Top Surgeon, and Winston Fellow in Biomedical Research, Sloan-Kettering Institute Clinical Scholars Award, and the Sarcoma Foundation of America Hope and Vision Award.Positions and Appointments
Lewis has lectured and taught at multiple major academic institutions and medical centers, and business schools. He was a lecturer on Physiology and Biochemistry at Witwatersrand University School of Medicine, Instructor in Surgery in the Department of Surgery at Yale University School of Medicine, Asst, Assoc, Professor at Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University in Surgery and Medicine, Attending Surgeon in both the Departments of Surgery and Medicine at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer CenterMemorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Memorial Sloan–Kettering Cancer Center is a cancer treatment and research institution founded in 1884 as the New York Cancer Hospital...
, and he is currently Executive Chairman and CEO of ZIOPHARM Oncology in New York City and Boston. He has worked as a specialist advisor and board member with several large pharma and biotech companies. He has been the invited visiting professor, and named lecturer at multiple premier medical and business schools in the USA, Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia and Australia. Lewis also has been on the board of numerous charitable and non-profit organizations, as well as private and public companies. Included amongst these are the Congressional Business Council, Sarcoma Foundation of America, POPPA/ NYPD, Rexies, ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc, Yale Biotechnology and Pharma Society, and the Hope Funds for Cancer.