Thomas Schwaab, MD, Ph.D., Named Bank of America Endowed Medical Director, Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute

Thomas Schwaab, MD, Ph.D., has been named the new Bank of America Endowed Medical Director of ChristianaCare’s Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute and leader of the Cancer Service Line.

Schwaab comes to ChristianaCare from Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in upstate New York, where he spent more than 15 years as a highly experienced urologic surgeon. During his time at Roswell Park, he held a number of leadership roles in the medical community, most recently as chief strategy, business development and outreach officer. He also served as associate professor of urologic oncology and The William and Nancy Gacioch Family Endowed Chair in Translational Research.

Schwaab succeeds Nicholas Petrelli, MD, who announced last year that he would retire after 23 years at Graham Cancer Center. Petrelli will remain director of the Cawley Center for Translational Cancer Research.

“I am excited to join the cancer program at ChristianaCare and look forward to bringing hope and healing to those affected by cancer,” said Schwaab.

“Together with the extraordinary team at ChristianaCare, we strive to achieve new milestones in patient care and clinical research.”

Schwaab will provide overall direction and leadership for Graham Cancer Center and cancer care operations. He will lead community outreach and research, and work to reduce cancer incidence, prevalence and mortality in the state of Delaware and the region. He will oversee quality and safety, value-based outcomes, workforce stability, financial vitality and strategic direction of cancer services.

“The cancer program at ChristianaCare will be in very capable hands under Dr. Schwaab’s leadership,” said Janice Nevin, MD, MPH, president and CEO of ChristianaCare.

“He brings a wealth of experience from one of the top cancer programs in the country, an unwavering commitment to excellence and a desire to expand access to quality cancer services in Delaware and the region.

“I want to take this opportunity to thank Dr. Petrelli for his leadership of the Graham Cancer Center. He leaves a lasting legacy for the many accomplishments he has made to our cancer program.”

The Graham Cancer Center treats the majority of cancer patients living in Delaware.

“We are thrilled to have Dr. Schwaab lead our cancer program,” said Kert Anzilotti, MD, MBA, the system’s chief medical officer and interim president of The Medical Group.

“Dr. Schwaab’s visionary approach and his dedication to our values ​​of love and excellence will inspire trust and hope in our patients and in our colleagues at ChristianaCare.”

Among his many accomplishments at Roswell Park, Schwaab expanded access to high-quality cancer care from 1.2 million to more than 8 million residents in upstate New York through innovative business concepts and clinical pathways. He also grew a multi-specialty group practice from four providers and two locations to more than 35 providers in eight locations.

He also founded and raised seed capital for the Innovative Immunotherapy Alliance, a joint venture between Roswell Park and the Center for Molecular Immunology in Cuba. This was the first biotechnology joint venture between the U.S. and a Cuban entity.

Schwaab received his medical degree and doctorate from the Medizinische Hochschule in Hannover, Germany. He completed his residency and fellowship program at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center and is board certified in urology. He has published nearly 50 manuscripts in peer-reviewed publications.