image: Thomas J. Herzog, MD takes office as The GOG Foundation, Inc. President. view more
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At the NRG Oncology Summer Meeting on Thursday, July 20, 2023, at approximately 5:44pm EDT, Larry J. Copeland, MD passed the presidential gavel to Thomas J. Herzog, MD at The GOG Foundation, Inc. (GOG-F) Board of Directors meeting.
Dr. Herzog brings a comprehensive background in clinical trials, the integral business aspects and acumen to this important position. A practicing gynecologic oncologist and member of the Board of Directors of GOG-F, he has served as the Treasurer of GOG-F from 2014-2023 and prior to taking presidential office, served as Associate Director of the GOG Partners (GOG-P) program. He is currently Deputy Director of the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center and Paul & Carolyn Flory Professor in the department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Cincinnati. Dr. Herzog has authored/co-authored over 325 peer-reviewed articles and lectures extensively nationally and internationally. He serves and has served on the editorial boards of Gynecologic Oncology, Obstetrics and Gynecology International, Hematology Oncology Times, and others. He served as Editor–In-Chief of Women’s Oncology Review and Gynecologic Oncology Research to Practice. Dr. Herzog has also served on the board of directors or leadership council of the Society of Gynecologic Oncology, the Foundation for Women’s Cancer, Board of Governors for the American College of Surgeons, American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology-Gynecologic Oncology Division, and the International Gynecologic Cancer Society.
Dr. Herzog will be responsible for GOG-F, which includes the GOG Foundation corporate membership in the NRG Oncology Foundation, Inc., and GOG-P program. The GOG-F, formerly known as the Gynecologic Oncology Group, in collaboration with the NSABP Foundation, Inc. and the RTOG Foundation, Inc., formed a new 501(C)(3), in 2012, NRG Oncology Foundation, Inc. (NRG). In addition to the NRG responsibilities, Dr. Herzog will also oversee the GOG Partners program founded in 2013 and work alongside Dr. Robert Mannel, Senior Vice President of GOG-F. Dr. Mannel is also one of the Group Chairs that is responsible for the research conducted by the NRG Oncology clinical cooperative group that is a member of the NCI National Clinical Trials Network.
Dr. Herzog shares, “It is truly an amazing honor to be the next President of The GOG Foundation. I am cognizant of the need to ever improve our organization to face the challenges of maintaining our role as the premier clinical trials network in gynecologic malignancies in North America and beyond. Initiatives in diversity, operational transparency, translational research, site expansion, and improved trial efficiencies are ongoing, and will be further developed moving forward. In addition, I look forward to training our next generation of outstanding clinical trialists. Following a true legend like Dr. Copeland is not easy, but I pledge to honor the principles that he and Dr. DiSaia so effectively instilled in our group as tremendous leaders in our field. I look forward to Dr. Copeland’s continued involvement, wisdom, and guidance through his role as Immediate Past President. I have incredible confidence and trust in the ability of the amazing GOG-F physician leadership and staff teams to effectively navigate our path forward in transforming the standard of care for our patients afflicted with gynecologic malignancies.”
Larry J. Copeland, MD who now serves as Immediate Past President, has proven his success by the unprecedented growth in its clinical trials program, particularly in GOG-Partners (GOG-P), including a greatly expanded clinical trials portfolio, further expansion and engagement of its investigator base, development of a clinical trial mentorship program, and multiple educational initiatives focused on novel agents, clinical trial design and clinical trial execution. Dr. Copeland noted, “It has been an honor to serve the GOG Foundation over the past three decades, the last 6 years as the President. The many accomplishments over recent years must be attributed to the great team – both staff and physician leaders, who work tirelessly on a daily basis. Dr. Herzog is the perfect individual to oversee the continuation of the pursuit of the GOG Foundation mission to “Transform the Standard of Care”. I pledge him my full support in his future leadership role.” Dr. Copeland will continue to be involved in the day-to-day activity as Immediate Past President of the organization.
About The GOG Foundation, Inc. (www.gog.org)
The GOG Foundation, Inc. is a not-for-profit organization with the purpose of promoting excellence in the quality and integrity of clinical and translational scientific research in the field of gynecologic malignancies. The GOG Foundation is committed to maintaining the highest standards in clinical trials development, execution, analysis, and distribution of results. The GOG Foundation is the only clinical trialist group in the United States that focuses its research on patients with pelvic malignancies, such as cancer of the ovary (including surface peritoneal malignancies), uterus (including endometrium, soft tissue sarcoma, and gestational trophoblastic neoplasia), cervix, and vulva. The GOG Foundation is multi-disciplinary in its approach to clinical trials, and includes gynecologic oncologists, medical oncologists, pathologists, radiation oncologists, oncology nurses, biostatisticians (including those with expertise in bioinformatics), basic scientists, quality of life experts, data managers, and administrative personnel.
About NRG Oncology (www.nrgoncology.org)
NRG Oncology conducts practice-changing, multi-institutional clinical and translational research to improve the lives of patients with cancer. Founded in 2012, NRG Oncology is a Pennsylvania-based nonprofit corporation that integrates the research of the legacy National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project (NSABP), Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG), and legacy Gynecologic Oncology Group, now The GOG Foundation, Inc. (GOG) programs. The research network seeks to conduct clinical trials with emphasis on gender-specific malignancies, including gynecologic, breast, and prostate cancers, and on localized or locally advanced cancers of all types. NRG Oncology’s extensive research organization comprises multidisciplinary investigators, including medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, surgeons, physicists, pathologists, and statisticians, and encompasses more than 1,300 research sites located world-wide with predominance in the United States and Canada. NRG Oncology is supported primarily through grants from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and is one of five research groups in the NCI’s National Clinical Trials Network.
About GOG Partners Program
Supported by industry, GOG Partners is structured to work directly with pharmaceutical organizations and operate clinical trials outside the National Cancer Institute (NCI) framework. The GOG Partners Program shares the same mission of the GOG Foundation dedicated to transforming the care in Gynecologic Oncology. By providing an alternative venue for patient accrual and site infrastructure support, GOG Partners has helped provide additional trials and opportunities for patients outside the national gynecologic clinical trials network.
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Corporate & Media Contact:
GOG Partners
Jenna Cummins, CMP, Executive Director of Business Development
773-750-5753, jcummins@gog.org