Jonathan Lewis (oncologist)


Jonathan J. Lewis, M.D., Ph.D., is a surgeon, biomedical researcher and entrepreneur. He was trained in surgery in South Africa, Britain, and the United States, and is a fellow of both the Royal College of Surgeons and the American College of Surgeons. Dr. Lewis was awarded an MB.B.Ch. from University of the Witwatersrand School of Medicine, and his Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from Witwatersrand and Yale School of Medicine. He completed his Surgical Residency at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital and at Yale-New Haven Hospital. Lewis was a Professor of Surgery and Medicine Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, before working in the biotechnology industry, first as chief medical officer of RubyConn, then as chairman and chief executive officer of ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc. He was chief executive officer of Samus Therapeutics and is currently chairman of the Molecular Ninja Group and chief executive officer of Varian Biopharma.

Education

Lewis received his MB. B.Ch. from University of the Witwatersrand in 1982 and his Ph.D. degree in the Molecular and Cell Machination of Growth Factor Retrograde Transduction from the University of Witwatersrand and Yale School of Medicine in 1990. During this time 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, and at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center he trained under Sir Murray Brennan. At Sloan-Kettering, he completed postdoctoral research in the labs of David Aaronstein and Alan Houghton.

Research and scientific contribution

Lewis’ research has contributed to the development of innovative cancer treatments and treatment approaches. Lewis' work focused on better understanding the biology and treatment of difficult-to-treat cancers. This includes the early use of peptides and DNA vaccines with active immunotherapy using T cells, a better understanding of the biology and role of surgery in retroperitoneal sarcoma, the liberal and correct use of re-resection in extremity sarcoma, and the potential use of vaccines in pancreatic cancer.
Lewis has authored over 200 scientific publications, which include work in the biology and treatment of sarcoma, the biology and treatment of pancreatic cancer, molecular cancer vaccines, gene therapy and the translation of laboratory findings to the clinic, in addition to writing chapters or sections in 15 textbooks.
During his career as a physician, Lewis treated Kitch Christie, the head coach of the South Africa national rugby union team, Justice Ismail Mahomed, and Kate McGarrigle.