Louisiana Cancer Research Center appoints Dr. Stefan C. Grant as Deputy Director

The Louisiana Cancer Research Center (LCRC) has appointed Stefan C. Grant, MD, JD, MBA, as deputy director.  Dr. Grant is a thoracic medical oncologist with extensive experience leading clinical trial operations and intellectual property development in National Cancer Institute (NCI) Designated Cancer Centers. He will also serve as chief of the Section of Hematology and Medical Oncology in the John W. Deming Department of Medicine at Tulane University School of Medicine. He will join the LCRC and Tulane on March 15, 2023.

“Louisiana’s Cancer Research Center will benefit from Dr. Grant’s vast experience having worked at two NCI Designated comprehensive cancer centers during his career, at Wake Forest and the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB),” said LCRC Director/CEO Joe W. Ramos, PhD. “He will bring that deep expertise in clinical trials to Louisiana to work with our leadership team to develop and lead new initiatives across our work in clinical and translational research designed specifically to meet the needs of Louisianans. This is an important step to making a meaningful difference to reduce the high burden of cancer across the state.”

Dr. Grant was formerly professor of medicine within the Section of Hematology and Oncology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and served as associate director for clinical trial operations within the Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center, where he oversaw their clinical trial operations and led them through two successful renewals of their NCI Cancer Center Designation. He also was director for intellectual property strategy and maintenance within the Center for Technology Innovation and Commercialization at Wake Forest. Previously, Dr. Grant served as medical director of the Hematology Oncology Clinic at Acton Road at UAB’s NCI Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Dr. Grant is board certified in internal medicine and medical oncology. He obtained his medical degree from the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa and completed postgraduate training in South Africa and the United Kingdom. He completed his residency in internal medicine at the Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia and his fellowship in hematology and medical oncology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York. After completing his fellowship, he joined the faculty of Memorial Sloan-Kettering within the thoracic oncology service of the division of solid tumor oncology at the Weill Cornell Medical College. While in New York, he obtained his JD from Fordham University School of Law. He is a member of the New York State bar and is a registered patent attorney. In addition, Dr. Grant holds an MBA from UAB’s Collat School of Business.

Dr. Grant’s research is focused on immunologic approaches to the treatment of lung cancer, the use of targeted therapies and pragmatic clinical trials. Lung cancer has the highest mortality rate of any cancer in Louisiana accounting for over 25% of all cancer deaths in the state. Dr. Grant served a three-year term as a member of the steering committee of the Association of American Cancer Institute Clinical Research Innovation and is a fellow of the American College of Physicians. 

About the LCRC

Each year, more than 25,000 Louisianans receive a cancer diagnosis. The Louisiana Cancer Research Center (LCRC) serves as a collaborative hub that advances cancer research, improves prevention, and accelerates innovative treatments. LCRC brings together the collective talent of more than 200 researchers from four institutions – of Louisiana State University Health New Orleans, Tulane University School of Medicine, Xavier University of Louisiana, and Ochsner Health – to improve cancer outcomes for Louisianans and all those touched by the disease. https://www.louisianacancercenter.org/