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VCU Massey Cancer Center is stepping up its global cancer initiatives with the appointment of Khalid Matin, M.D., FACP, to the position of associate director for Global Oncology. Matin, a professor of medicine at VCU School of Medicine and medical oncologist at Massey, will now be responsible for driving the strategic direction of Massey’s global oncology initiatives and expanding the center’s reach in the fight against cancer worldwide.

This is just the latest move in Massey’s transnational expansion. Last month, Massey announced Emmanuel A. Taylor, MSc, DrPH, as its new senior director for Global Cancer Health Equity and Partnerships.

“Massey is lucky to have such talented scientists and innovative thinkers, who in taking on these new responsibilities will help magnify the impact of our local advances on a global scale,” said Robert A. Winn, M.D., Massey director and Lipman Chair in Oncology. “Khalid is a brilliant clinician and an empathetic leader whose passion for community oncology will soon benefit many across the world.”

Matin, a medical oncologist with a focus on gastrointestinal cancers, previously held the position of medical director of community oncology and clinical research affiliations at Massey and served as the interim chair of the division of Hematology, Oncology and Palliative Care from September 2020 to March 2022. He is currently an associate medical director of the VCU Massey Cancer Service Line and a principal investigator on Massey’s Minority/Underserved NCI-Community Oncology Research Program grant, which seeks to provide cancer patients, particularly minority and underserved patients, access to prevention, early detection and treatment clinical trials as well as cancer care delivery research closer to home.

In his new role, Matin will drive an international strategy and develop partnerships with leading cancer centers, research institutions and organizations worldwide to foster collaborative research and knowledge exchange. Innovative global oncology programs will address unmet needs in cancer prevention, early detection, treatment, survivorship and palliative care in regions across the globe.

Matin was born in Pakistan and moved to the U.S. after receiving an M.B.B.S. degree from Aga Khan University Medical College in Karachi. Before coming to Massey, he served as the director of community oncology at Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, New York, and held previous roles at the Cancer Center of Montgomery, Alabama and the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute. He also received his secondary education in Dubai and the United Kingdom.

“Having spent my life in three continents has allowed me to experience a truly global education for which I am grateful,” said Matin. “I am excited to be taking on this role so we can interact with others around the world to improve the lives of cancer patients while establishing a global presence for Massey and its team.”

Massey was recently designated a Comprehensive Cancer Center by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the nation’s principal authority on cancer research and training. The designation recognizes Massey’s excellence in laboratory research, population science and clinical research, as well as in its cancer training and community outreach and engagement efforts. It also allows Massey to broaden the scope of its research and advance science through new approaches, while maintaining its commitment to health equity.

Written by Annie Harris.