John Leonard

John P. Leonard, M.D., is the Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Professor of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Chief of the Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology and Director, Center for Blood Cancers at Perlmutter Cancer Center at NYU Langone Health and NYU Grossman School of Medicine.
An expert in hematology and oncology, Dr. Leonard is Chair of the Lymphoma Committee of the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology (formerly CALGB, ACOSOG and NCCTG), a multicenter cooperative group and key component of the National Cancer Institute’s National Clinical Trials Network. Dr. Leonard has been an elected member of the American Board of Internal Medicine Hematology subspecialty board, and he has also been elected to membership in the American Society of Clinical Investigation. He has served as Chair of the Scientific Advisory Board and Board Member of the Lymphoma Research Foundation and Board Member of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society/New York City Chapter.
Dr. Leonard performed his undergraduate work at Johns Hopkins University and received his medical degree at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA. He completed his residency in medicine at the New York Hospital - Cornell Medical Center and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, NY. He completed a fellowship in hematology and oncology at Cornell, and served as the chief medical resident at the New York Hospital - Cornell Medical Center.

John P. Leonard, M.D., is the Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Professor of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Chief of the Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology and Director, Center for Blood Cancers at Perlmutter Cancer Center at NYU Langone Health and NYU Grossman School of Medicine.
An expert in hematology and oncology, Dr. Leonard is Chair of the Lymphoma Committee of the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology (formerly CALGB, ACOSOG and NCCTG), a multicenter cooperative group and key component of the National Cancer Institute’s National Clinical Trials Network. Dr. Leonard has been an elected member of the American Board of Internal Medicine Hematology subspecialty board, and he has also been elected to membership in the American Society of Clinical Investigation. He has served as Chair of the Scientific Advisory Board and Board Member of the Lymphoma Research Foundation and Board Member of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society/New York City Chapter.
Dr. Leonard performed his undergraduate work at Johns Hopkins University and received his medical degree at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA. He completed his residency in medicine at the New York Hospital - Cornell Medical Center and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, NY. He completed a fellowship in hematology and oncology at Cornell, and served as the chief medical resident at the New York Hospital - Cornell Medical Center.

Dr. Ghosh is the Kerry and Simone Vickar Family Foundation Endowed Chair and Professor of Cancer Medicine at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Charlotte and Chief, Division of Hematology at Atrium Health Levine Cancer Instiute. He also leads the Lymphoam progam. He specializes in lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
Dr. Ghosh’s research interests include CAR T-cell therapy, bispecific antibodies, and overcoming disparities in healthcare. He has published research manuscripts in prestigious journals. He serves as a principal investigator on numerous innovative clinical trials.
Dr. Ghosh has received awards from the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and the Leukemia Lymphoma Society (LLS) now rebranded as Blood Cancer United. He has been named a Charlotte magazine Top Doctor and is a Castle Connolly Top Doctor.

Dr. Sarah Rutherford is an Associate Professor of Medicine (Clinical) in the Division of Hematology/Oncology at NYU Langone Health. She is a graduate of the University of Virginia School of Medicine. She completed Internship and Residency in Internal Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia and Fellowship in Hematology/Oncology at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical College.

Dr. Rutherford has clinical expertise in lymphoma. Her research focuses on novel therapeutic strategies in B-cell and Hodgkin lymphomas. She has received honors from Weill Cornell Medical College and the American Society of Hematology, and support from the New York State Empire Clinical Research Investigator Program, the Lymphoma Research Foundation, the National Institutes of Health Clinical Loan Repayment Program, and the Alliance for Clinical Trials Foundation. She has experience in caring for patients with a variety of lymphomas and hematologic disorders including Hodgkin lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, follicular lymphoma, mantle cell lymphoma, marginal zone lymphoma, and peripheral T-cell lymphoma.

Dr. Sonali M. Smith is the Elwood V. Jensen Professor of Medicine, Section Chief of Hematology/Oncology and Co-Leader of the Cancer Service Line, at the University of Chicago. She is a clinical investigator in lymphoma and a clinical expert in mature lymphoid malignancies including Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphomas. A faculty member since 2001, she has written or co-written dozens of clinical trials, and has participated in many more with key input in the clinical design, determination of endpoints, and analysis. She has nearly 200 publications in peer-reviewed journals. She is particularly interested in targeted agents and pathway inhibitors and has first and senior author publications through cooperative group trials and investigator-initiated trials. A significant portion of her research has focused on prognosis and the ability to deliver individualized therapy.

Dr. Smith serves in the Medical Oncologist seat on the ASCO Society Board of Directors for the 2026-2027 term. She chaired the ASCO Cancer Communications Committee, the Professional Development Committee, and the Scientific Committee Program. Dr. Smith is a past recipient of the ASCO Excellence in Teaching award. She has had leadership roles in other oncology groups such as the Vice-Chair of the SWOG Lymphoma Committee for a decade before becoming the Chair in 2026, past-Chair of the LRF Scientific Advisory Board, co-chair of the 2022 AACR Advances in Malignant Lymphoma, and co-chair of the ASH Meeting on Hematologic Malignancies. Dr. Smith is one of the founding members and Steering Committee members of the international Women in Lymphoma group.

Morton Coleman, MD is the Founding Chair, LL&M Congress. He has been an Attending Physician at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center and a Clinical Professor of Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine. He was the Director of the Center for Lymphoma and Myeloma, the chairman of the Medical Affiliates Board of the Lymphoma Research Foundation, President of the New York Cancer Society, the chairman of Clinical Research Alliance, among many prestigious appointments. He has served on numerous scientific boards. Dr Coleman has received numerous awards including those from the Cure for Lymphoma Foundation, the Lymphoma Research Foundation, The Waldenstrom's Foundation, Cornell University and Old Dominion University among others. He has authored hundreds of publications primarily in myeloma, lymphoma, and chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Among his many seminal observations were the development of the standard of care for Hodgkin disease for over 40 years, the first use of effective novel agents in myeloma, metronomic therapy for hematologic diseases, and the use of combination monoclonal antibody therapy, among others. He founded the Lymphoma, Leukemia, and Myeloma Conference a quarter of a century ago.

John P. Leonard, M.D., is the Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Professor of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Chief of the Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology and Director, Center for Blood Cancers at Perlmutter Cancer Center at NYU Langone Health and NYU Grossman School of Medicine.
An expert in hematology and oncology, Dr. Leonard is Chair of the Lymphoma Committee of the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology (formerly CALGB, ACOSOG and NCCTG), a multicenter cooperative group and key component of the National Cancer Institute’s National Clinical Trials Network. Dr. Leonard has been an elected member of the American Board of Internal Medicine Hematology subspecialty board, and he has also been elected to membership in the American Society of Clinical Investigation. He has served as Chair of the Scientific Advisory Board and Board Member of the Lymphoma Research Foundation and Board Member of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society/New York City Chapter.
Dr. Leonard performed his undergraduate work at Johns Hopkins University and received his medical degree at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA. He completed his residency in medicine at the New York Hospital - Cornell Medical Center and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, NY. He completed a fellowship in hematology and oncology at Cornell, and served as the chief medical resident at the New York Hospital - Cornell Medical Center.

Dr. Thomas Witzig earned a B.S. in Biology from Illinois State University and an M.D. from the University of Illinois College of Medicine. He completed an internal medicine residency at the University of Iowa, followed by a hematology/oncology fellowship at Mayo Clinic, where he also conducted laboratory research in multiple myeloma and lymphoma under Drs. Philip Greipp and Robert A. Kyle. He joined the Mayo Clinic staff in 1986.

Dr. Witzig’s clinical and research interests focus on blood cancers and the biological mechanisms underlying COVID-19. His current work investigates therapies targeting DNA damage repair and signal transduction pathways in lymphoma. He has played a leading role in the development of radioimmunotherapy, mTOR inhibitors, and immunomodulatory agents such as lenalidomide. His research group was the first to demonstrate the effectiveness of rituximab for IgG4-related autoimmune diseases affecting organs including the orbit and pancreas. During the COVID-19 pandemic, his laboratory identified a mechanism contributing to severe infection that is now being investigated in patients with Long COVID. His research has been supported by the National Cancer Institute, the Predolin Foundation, and other organizations.

Dr. Witzig has received numerous honors, including the Department of Medicine Outstanding Investigator Award, the Henry S. Plummer Distinguished Physician Award, and the Barbara Woodward Lips Professorship.

An accomplished educator and mentor, Dr. Witzig has delivered invited lectures at regional, national, and international meetings. He has authored or co-authored more than 500 publications—including peer-reviewed articles, books, book chapters, and letters—and more than 600 scientific abstracts.

John P. Leonard, M.D., is the Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Professor of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Chief of the Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology and Director, Center for Blood Cancers at Perlmutter Cancer Center at NYU Langone Health and NYU Grossman School of Medicine.
An expert in hematology and oncology, Dr. Leonard is Chair of the Lymphoma Committee of the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology (formerly CALGB, ACOSOG and NCCTG), a multicenter cooperative group and key component of the National Cancer Institute’s National Clinical Trials Network. Dr. Leonard has been an elected member of the American Board of Internal Medicine Hematology subspecialty board, and he has also been elected to membership in the American Society of Clinical Investigation. He has served as Chair of the Scientific Advisory Board and Board Member of the Lymphoma Research Foundation and Board Member of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society/New York City Chapter.
Dr. Leonard performed his undergraduate work at Johns Hopkins University and received his medical degree at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA. He completed his residency in medicine at the New York Hospital - Cornell Medical Center and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, NY. He completed a fellowship in hematology and oncology at Cornell, and served as the chief medical resident at the New York Hospital - Cornell Medical Center.

Dr. Peter Martin is a Professor of Medicine and Co-Chair of the Hematology Disease Management Group at NYU Langone, Perlmutter Cancer Center in New York City. After completing medical school at the University of Alberta and Internal Medicine and Hematology at McGill University in Canada, Dr. Martin moved to New York to pursue a career in lymphoma research.
He is active in the Lymphoma Committee at the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology, and he is a member of the Lymphoma Research Foundation Scientific Advisory Board and the National Cancer Institute Lymphoma Steering Committee.
His research focuses on improving the lives of people with lymphoma.

John P. Leonard, M.D., is the Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Professor of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Chief of the Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology and Director, Center for Blood Cancers at Perlmutter Cancer Center at NYU Langone Health and NYU Grossman School of Medicine.
An expert in hematology and oncology, Dr. Leonard is Chair of the Lymphoma Committee of the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology (formerly CALGB, ACOSOG and NCCTG), a multicenter cooperative group and key component of the National Cancer Institute’s National Clinical Trials Network. Dr. Leonard has been an elected member of the American Board of Internal Medicine Hematology subspecialty board, and he has also been elected to membership in the American Society of Clinical Investigation. He has served as Chair of the Scientific Advisory Board and Board Member of the Lymphoma Research Foundation and Board Member of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society/New York City Chapter.
Dr. Leonard performed his undergraduate work at Johns Hopkins University and received his medical degree at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA. He completed his residency in medicine at the New York Hospital - Cornell Medical Center and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, NY. He completed a fellowship in hematology and oncology at Cornell, and served as the chief medical resident at the New York Hospital - Cornell Medical Center.

Dr. Juan Alderuccio is a clinical investigator specializing in lymphoma drug development at the University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, where he serves as Clinical Research Site Disease Group Leader of the Lymphoma Section and principal investigator on multiple clinical trials.
His research centers on designing innovative clinical trials and integrating circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) into treatment decision-making for patients with indolent and aggressive B-cell lymphomas. He has been involved in the development of multiple investigator-initiated, NCI, and industry-supported clinical trials. Dr. Alderuccio's work has been supported by the Lymphoma Research Foundation, the US Department of Defense, and the American Society of Hematology Scholar Award.

Dr. Peter Martin is a Professor of Medicine and Co-Chair of the Hematology Disease Management Group at NYU Langone, Perlmutter Cancer Center in New York City. After completing medical school at the University of Alberta and Internal Medicine and Hematology at McGill University in Canada, Dr. Martin moved to New York to pursue a career in lymphoma research.
He is active in the Lymphoma Committee at the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology, and he is a member of the Lymphoma Research Foundation Scientific Advisory Board and the National Cancer Institute Lymphoma Steering Committee.
His research focuses on improving the lives of people with lymphoma.

Dr. Thomas Witzig earned a B.S. in Biology from Illinois State University and an M.D. from the University of Illinois College of Medicine. He completed an internal medicine residency at the University of Iowa, followed by a hematology/oncology fellowship at Mayo Clinic, where he also conducted laboratory research in multiple myeloma and lymphoma under Drs. Philip Greipp and Robert A. Kyle. He joined the Mayo Clinic staff in 1986.

Dr. Witzig’s clinical and research interests focus on blood cancers and the biological mechanisms underlying COVID-19. His current work investigates therapies targeting DNA damage repair and signal transduction pathways in lymphoma. He has played a leading role in the development of radioimmunotherapy, mTOR inhibitors, and immunomodulatory agents such as lenalidomide. His research group was the first to demonstrate the effectiveness of rituximab for IgG4-related autoimmune diseases affecting organs including the orbit and pancreas. During the COVID-19 pandemic, his laboratory identified a mechanism contributing to severe infection that is now being investigated in patients with Long COVID. His research has been supported by the National Cancer Institute, the Predolin Foundation, and other organizations.

Dr. Witzig has received numerous honors, including the Department of Medicine Outstanding Investigator Award, the Henry S. Plummer Distinguished Physician Award, and the Barbara Woodward Lips Professorship.

An accomplished educator and mentor, Dr. Witzig has delivered invited lectures at regional, national, and international meetings. He has authored or co-authored more than 500 publications—including peer-reviewed articles, books, book chapters, and letters—and more than 600 scientific abstracts.