Robert L. Ferris Named Executive Director of UNC Lineberger Cancer Center

Robert L. Ferris, MD, PhD, a renowned head and neck surgical oncologist and cancer immunotherapy expert, has been appointed as the executive director of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and the UNC system's chief of oncology services. This announcement was made by UNC School of Medicine Dean Wesley Burks, MD, and the appointment will be effective from October 1st.

Ferris transitions to UNC from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), where he directed the Hillman Cancer Center. He took over from Shelley Earp, MD, who served as director of UNC Lineberger twice, first from 1997 to 2014, and again from 2018 to 2024. Earp had announced his intention to resign last fall but will continue his involvement at UNC as a faculty member and lead his lab at UNC Lineberger. He will also continue his service to external organizations, including his role as chair of the National Cancer Institute’s Board of Scientific Advisors.

Dean Wesley Burks expressed high regard for Ferris, describing him as an exceptional cancer physician-scientist and a skilled health executive with extensive experience in leading a National Cancer Institute (NCI) comprehensive cancer center. Burks emphasized Ferris's passion for service and highlighted his suitability for the role due to his skills, experience, and vision for the future of UNC Lineberger.

Ferris's appointment represents a return to Chapel Hill, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in chemistry with honors and distinction from UNC-Chapel Hill. He later received his medical degree and PhD in immunology from Johns Hopkins Medical School, where he also completed his residency in otolaryngology/head and neck surgery and served as chief resident.

Before joining UNC, Ferris held the position of director and associate senior vice chancellor for cancer research at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center since 2017. In 2023, he also became the senior vice president for oncology programs at UPMC and associate senior vice chancellor for cancer research at the University of Pittsburgh. Under his leadership, UPMC Hillman saw a 29% increase in peer-reviewed cancer research funding and a 53% rise in NCI funding. The center also secured three prestigious NCI Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPORE) research grants in head neck, skin, and ovarian cancers.

Ferris has had a highly productive career in clinical, translational, and laboratory research, resulting in the founding of two companies and the publication of more than 450 peer-reviewed scientific papers and book chapters. He has led multiple cancer immunotherapy trials, focusing on HPV-positive head and neck cancer treatments post-surgery. His translational research has provided significant insights into anti-tumor immunity and tumor cell escape mechanisms. His lab pioneered studies on immune responses induced by cetuximab, an EGFR-specific monoclonal antibody, in head and neck cancer, and is investigating various immunosuppressive molecules such as PD-1, CTLA-4, TIM-3, and LAG-3.

Ferris’s commitment to external service is evident through his co-chairing of the NCI Steering Committee for Head and Neck Cancer and his previous presidency of the American Head and Neck Society. Additionally, he serves on external advisory boards for several prestigious cancer centers and is the editor-in-chief of Oral Oncology and a board member for Clinical Cancer Research and Cancer Immunology Research.

The UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center is a prominent cancer research and treatment facility located at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It is North Carolina's only public comprehensive cancer center and is recognized as one of the 57 NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers in the United States. The center is distinguished by its outstanding physicians and scientists who are dedicated to understanding and combating cancer through pioneering research and innovative clinical trials.