David E. Schuller

Oncologist David E. Schuller is internationally renowned for his lifesaving developments in treating cancers of the head and neck. A longtime leader in cancer research and administration at The Ohio State University Medical Center, he is currently the vice president of medical center expansion and holds the John W. Wolfe Chair in Cancer Research. He is also CEO emeritus of The James and director emeritus of the Comprehensive Cancer Center.

For the past 30 years, Schuller’s research has focused on developing novel therapeutic strategies for the treatment of head and neck malignancies. He chaired the research leadership team that changed the standard of care for the second most common malignancy in the world, nearly doubling survival rates. Always giving of his time and expertise, Schuller is the current co-chair of the National Cancer Institute Head and Neck Steering Committee and a member of the V Foundation for Cancer Research Scientific Advisory Board. He also was president of the American Board of Otolaryngology and chair of the Otolaryngology Residency Review Committee.

Schuller joined the Ohio State faculty in 1976 and rose to become chair of the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery in 1984, serving in that position for 21 years and leading it to become a nationally ranked department. He was appointed director of the Comprehensive Cancer Center and CEO of The James in 1988. During his decades of leadership, he created the Human Cancer Genetics Program and raised more than $250 million in philanthropic support for the medical center.

Currently Ohio State’s vice president of medical center expansion, Schuller is leading the $1.1 billion project that will include a new James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute and critical care tower. The new cancer hospital will become one of the largest in the United States with an architectural design that integrates research and education with patient care.

A 1966 graduate of Rutgers College, Schuller was a Henry Rutgers Scholar and a member of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. He went on to receive a medical degree from Ohio State, where he graduated with honors. His completed a surgical internship at University Hospitals of Case Western Reserve University and his residency in otolaryngology/head and neck surgery at Ohio State. As a resident, Schuller conducted research that changed the standard of care for the treatment of life-threatening airway obstruction in children with croup.