Peter Paul Yu, MD, a highly accomplished, internationally respected cancer expert with more than 30 years of experience, has been named the first physician-in-chief of the Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute, ushering in a new era of leadership and marking a significant milestone in the Institute’s continued evolution as a center of excellence in cancer care.
“I am greatly looking forward to working with the outstanding team of physicians, specialists, nurses and staff who do so much to support the mission of the Institute,” said Dr. Yu, who assumes his new role after spending the past eight years as director of cancer research at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation in California.
Dr. Yu also served in 2015 as president of the prestigious American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), which represents nearly 40,000 professionals in all cancer subspecialties. Dr. Yu’s appointment comes after an extensive national search for a physician leader to oversee clinical operations and programs both within the cancer service locations of HHCCI as well as the Institute’s pioneering membership in the Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK) Cancer Alliance. As physician-in-chief, Dr. Yu will be responsible for working closely and collaboratively with physicians and nurses who practice within HHCCI to ensure a single, elevated standard of world-class care for patients with various types and stages of cancer.
A medical oncologist and hematologist, Dr. Yu will also work collaboratively with HHCCI’s colleagues at Memorial Sloan Kettering, serving as the Alliance’s director of health informatics. He is well-suited for the role, having twice been elected by EPIC Systems users to the Epic Oncology Steering Board and is on the Board of Governors for ASCO’s digital health learning system, CancerLinQ.
“Dr. Yu’s deep experience and passion for enhancing treatment options makes him uniquely wellsuited to oversee the continuance of HHC’s pioneering membership in the MSK Cancer Alliance,” said Jeffrey A. Flaks, Hartford HealthCare executive vice president and chief operating officer. “With his appointment in this key clinical leadership role, we are positioned to take HHC’s exceptional cancer program to an even higher level, guiding our cancer institute’s evolution and future.”
Dr. Yu will report to Flaks in his role as HHCCI physician-in-chief; in his role at MSK, he will report to Jose Baselga, MD, MSK physician-in-chief and chief medical officer.
For Dr. Yu, the move to Connecticut is a near-homecoming of sorts, as he began his career in the cancer field as a research fellow and associate at Memorial Sloan Kettering, where he formed lasting relationships with colleagues who will now be working closely with him as part of the Alliance.
A native New Yorker, Dr. Yu also completed his undergraduate studies at Brown University in Rhode Island, so the Connecticut landscape is a familiar one, he said. “I grew up in Westchester and went to college and medical school in Providence, so I am looking forward to returning to my roots,” he said. “This is a wonderful opportunity for me and my family. We are looking forward to it.”