Dr. Eduardo Sotomayor Named Vice President and Executive Director of Tampa General Hospital’s Cancer Institute

The world-renowned oncologist moves up from his position as director to oversee the hospital’s next generation of cancer care and treatment.

 

Tampa, FL (Nov. 30, 2023) – As part of its commitment to be the one of the nation’s leading academic health systems, Tampa General Hospital (TGH) has named Eduardo M. Sotomayor, MD, as vice president and executive director of the TGH Cancer Institute.

Sotomayor will work with the institute’s staff in providing world-class cancer care in one of Florida’s leading academic medical centers. Internationally recognized as a pioneer in the field of cancer immunology and immunotherapy and a renowned expert in lymphoma research and treatment, Sotomayor will continue to build on the hospital’s cancer clinical and research services to provide next-generation care and multidisciplinary treatment.

“This is of course a tremendous honor,’’ Sotomayor said. “But more importantly, it’s about the future of cancer care, Tampa General’s commitment to our patients, and the hope that we’re moving closer to not just treating cancer in all its forms, but to defeating it.’’

Since its establishment in 2021, the Cancer Institute has seen unprecedented growth, in part because of its innovative approach to the research and treatment of the disease. It has brought together a wealth of medical talent with the recruitment of 22 physicians (surgical oncology, radiation oncology and hematology/oncology) as well as more than 20 advanced practice providers, pharmacists, nurses, managers and administrators from prestigious academic institutions nationwide. Together, they are shaping the future of cancer care and are making TGH the destination for personalized cancer care in the Southeast.

The following year, the Cancer Institute received the coveted Certificate of Accreditation from the Commission on Cancer (CoC), which recognizes the institute’s work in exceeding service standards and excellence in quality, comprehensiveness and patient-coordinated cancer care. CoC-accredited facilities diagnose and/or treat more than 70 percent of all newly diagnosed patients with cancer.

The CoC Accreditation Program provides the framework for accredited facilities to further enhance the quality of patient care through various cancer-related programs that focus on the full spectrum of cancer care, including prevention, early diagnosis, cancer staging, optimal treatment, rehabilitation, life-long follow-up for recurrent disease and end-of-life care.

“We set out to build a Cancer Institute of the future that excels in cancer research, clinical investigations, prevention and control, and we have spent the past several years devoting significant energy and resources and acquiring the brightest talent to bring that vision to life,” said John Couris, president and CEO of TGH. “This is a testament to the unparalleled expertise and quality of care we offer our patients.’’

Sotomayor has published more than 130 papers, including seminal discoveries in top-tier journals such as Nature Immunology, Nature Medicine, Blood, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and Cancer Cell, among others. He has been the recipient of a number of awards, including the National Cancer Institute (NCI) CURE Lifetime Achievement award in 2017.

In addition, Sotomayor is involved in several major medical societies and organizations and is chair of the Lymphoma Research Foundation Mantle Cell Lymphoma Consortium, a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Lymphoma Research Foundation, member of the Executive Committee of the Mantle Cell Lymphoma Consortium and member of several committees of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR). Mantle Cell Lymphoma is typically an aggressive, rare, form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma that arises from cells originating in the “mantle zone.”

He has also served on committees at the American Society of Hematology (ASH), the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI), including a six-year service in the prestigious Subcommittee A, charged with reviewing all NCI-designated Cancer Centers in the U.S.

“Dr. Sotomayor is a proven leader in the field of medical oncology, an accomplished physician scientist and a leading authority in hematologic malignancies,” said Abraham Schwarzberg, MD, executive vice president, chief of oncology and president of the Tampa General Provider Network at Tampa General Hospital. “His expanded role will help us become the leading cancer program in our community, state and region and accelerate our journey to becoming an NCI-designated cancer institute.”

For more information about the TGH Cancer Institute, visit www.tgh.org/cancer.