Northwell Cancer Institute Names Global Oncology Researcher Geraldine O’Sullivan Coyne, MD, PhD, to lead START Unit’s Early-Stage Clinical Trials

The Northwell Cancer Institute has appointed Geraldine O’Sullivan Coyne, MD, PhD, MRCPI, an internationally recognized oncology researcher and physician leader, system head of Northwell and principal investigator for The START Center for Cancer Research (START), a newly established unit at the health system aimed at bringing innovative early-stage clinical trials to patients in a community-based cancer center.

Last May, Northwell Health and START, the largest global network of fully dedicated, community-based, early-phase oncology trials, signed a strategic partnership with the goal of expanding access to cutting-edge clinical trials at the R.J. Zuckerberg Cancer Center in New Hyde Park. The site will be the first START center in New York. START trials provide promising new hope for patients facing complex and rare cancer diagnoses. A START center is also planned for Northwell’s Victoria and Lloyd Goldman Health Care Pavilion in Manhattan.

Dr. O’Sullivan Coyne brings more than 15 years of experience in global research, medical oncology and cancer leadership in roles at national and international organizations. Most recently, she was a clinical investigator at START Dublin, Ireland. Previously, Dr. O’Sullivan Coyne held leadership roles while serving for seven years at the National Cancer Institute (NCI); she has held roles that include staff clinician in the Developmental Therapeutics Clinic (DTC) and Early Clinical Trials Development Program, and associate research physician and head of the Clinical Sciences Section.

“Dr. O’Sullivan Coyne’s appointment and her exceptional areas of expertise will help transform Northwell's commitment to bring innovative early-phase cancer clinical trials and personalized medicine to our patients,” said Richard Carvajal, MD, medical director and deputy physician-in-chief of medical oncology at the Northwell Cancer Institute. “She is an outstanding clinician, outstanding scientist and has an incredibly dynamic and caring personality – she is perfectly suited to lead this START site at Northwell.”

During her time at the NCI, one of her research focuses was the clinic’s sarcoma and rare tumors initiatives, including the ongoing partnership with the Pediatric Oncology Branch (POB) at the NCI for the enrollment of young adult patients with solid malignancies, NF1 and inoperable plexiform neurofibromas and/or malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNST), in early phase trials as well as collaboration with the Surgery Branch at the NCI for patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis.

“Early phase clinical trials provide our patients access to the most exciting and promising therapies that can lead to improvements in outcomes; however, these treatments are new and have unknown side effects. These early phase trials are among the most complicated that are conducted in medicine to ensure safety and maximize potential benefit,” explained Dr. Carvajal. “We want patients to have the best possible outcome and at the same time be able to track the scientific information we need. Northwell is proud to offer clinical trials in the communities where our patients live. In the past, patients either traveled to an academic medical center or were lucky enough to live relatively close by to receive treatment.”

“Dr. O’Sullivan Coyne played an integral role in the development and launch of START Dublin — START’s first early-phase research unit in Ireland — and we are thrilled to see her bring that same expertise and leadership to New York,” said Nick Slack, MBE, chairman & CEO of START. “She is a world-class physician and clinical researcher whose dedication to patients and deep scientific experience will add tremendous strength to this new site. We’re proud to see her further our mission to expand access to cutting-edge therapies through a globally connected, community-based research model.”

“Through the START and Northwell partnership, we're not just expanding our research capabilities; we're offering renewed hope to patients with the most challenging cancer diagnoses in treatments such as immunotherapy and targeted approaches." Dr. O’Sullivan Coyne said.

Dr. O’Sullivan Coyne completed her general medicine training at the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland in Cork; and PhD (molecular medicine) at University College Cork, School of Medicine Cork Cancer Research Center, Cork, Ireland; completed clinical fellowships in hematology/oncology and advanced developmental therapeutics at the National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD.

She is an active member of various international scientific groups, has received numerous clinical awards in Europe and the United States and has published over 100 research works.