Dr. Tobias Janowitz joins Feinstein Institutes as new Institute of Cancer Research director
MANHASSET, N.Y., August 31, 2026--At the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, clinicians and scientists produce knowledge to cure disease, conducting clinical trials and basic and translational science to improve cancer treatment. To help propel the Feinstein Institutes' cancer research, Tobias Janowitz, MD, PhD, has been appointed director of its Institute of Cancer Research. In addition, he will take on the roles of Robert and Janet Perro Professor in Cancer Research and director of Translational Cancer Research at Northwell Health's Cancer Institute. Dr. Janowitz will continue to lead his established research program at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) Cancer Center while leading the CSHL/Northwell strategic affiliation.
"I look forward to the great honor and responsibility of overseeing cancer research at Northwell and the Feinstein Institutes and bringing two scientific leaders — Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory and the Feinstein Institutes — more closely together," said Dr. Janowitz. "These scientists, along with collaborators worldwide, will advance cancer diagnostic and treatment options to help the millions of people living with cancer."
A scientist for more than 20 years, Dr. Janowitz studies the mechanisms that drive cancer progression. His research identifies the metabolic, neuroendocrine and immune circuits that determine disease progression and the body's therapeutic response. Dr. Janowitz and his team have shown how the systemic stress imposed by a tumor alters energy metabolism, elevates stress hormones and weakens the immune system, the combination of changes that underlies cancer cachexia, a severe wasting syndrome that many patients with cancer experience. As a gastrointestinal oncologist, his goal is to redefine treatment by addressing the entire patient, not just the tumor.
"Dr. Janowitz's contributions to cancer research are widely recognized," said Kevin J. Tracey, MD, president and CEO of the Feinstein Institutes and the Karches Family Distinguished Chair in Medical Research. "His leadership will attract additional scientific expertise to join us in transforming the future research and treatment of cancer."
Treating cancer and offering cutting-edge clinical trials continues to be a priority for Northwell. In 2025, the health system unveiled the Northwell-START New York-Long Island facility, an early-phase cancer clinical trial center at its R.J. Zuckerberg Cancer Center. This is New York's first START site, part of the world's largest network, and builds on a 2024 partnership to deliver cutting-edge clinical trials directly to patients in their communities.