The Tisch Cancer Institute (TCI) at Mount Sinai is located on the main campus of the Mount Sinai Health System (MSHS). All cancer-focused research, shared resources, administrative offices, and conference spaces are housed on this campus, which spans a five-block area from 98th to 102nd Street between Fifth and Madison Avenues. Established in 2008 through the generosity of James and Merryl Tisch, The TCI was built upon Mount Sinai’s history of distinguished achievements in cancer research and treatment.
The TCI was established with an overarching vision to create an interdisciplinary cancer center that conducts innovative, world-class cancer research, supports a robust infrastructure to promote collaboration and collegiality, serves a diverse community with outstanding clinical care and clinical research, and educates future leaders in oncology. Dr. Steven J. Burakoff, an expert in the role of T cell in immune response, served as the inaugural Director of The TCI for 10 years, during which time The TCI was designated as an NCI Clinical Cancer Center in 2015. In a planned transition, Dr. Ramon Parsons was then appointed Director in 2017, and successfully competed for the Institute’s first renewal as an NCI Clinical Cancer Center in 2020.
The TCI has developed four collaborative cancer research programs to advance basic, clinical and population health cancer research, in order to prevent cancer in healthy individuals and improve the lives of cancer patients and their families in our diverse communities. Within its four programs, The TCI has a strong foundation of cancer research with direct cancer-related funding of over $40M. The TCI’s cancer research programs are supported by five shared resource facilities and three cores-in-development. Today, the institute draws on the extensive collaborations of over 150 cancer center members. The TCI Clinical Research Support Unit with an Early Phase Trials Unit provides the infrastructure to conduct novel, investigator-initiated protocols developed by TCI investigators and supported by CRSU staff members. The TCI’s catchment area includes the New York City Metropolitan area. TCI’s cancer research programs are focused on the needs of its catchment area, which includes extensive research in liver, prostate, breast, colorectal and lung cancers, as well as multiple myeloma.
The work accomplished at The TCI continues to build upon Mount Sinai’s history of revolutionary medical discoveries and outstanding patient care. The clinical care of Mount Sinai cancer patients is provided at the 1134-bed Mount Sinai Hospital which is situated directly on campus. Inpatient cancer treatment facilities are located in the Guggenheim Pavilion, while ambulatory cancer services are provided at the Ruttenberg Treatment Center, which is located in the Hess Center for Science and Medicine and its adjoined tower, as well as at the multidisciplinary Dubin Breast Center. Radiation Oncology and Cancer Imaging are located in the same building as the Ruttenberg Treatment Center, allowing easy access to both standard of care treatment and clinical research-related procedures.
The TCI’s outstanding achievements and programs have allowed it to be continually on the forefront of medical and scientific training, biomedical research, and patient care.