An alumnus of Israel’s Weizmann Institute of Science, Dr. Joseph Schlessinger has since come a long way in the medical field. Joseph Schlessinger commenced his career as a Postdoctoral Associate at Cornell University’s School of Applied and Engineering Physics and Department of Chemistry. Dr. Schlessinger went on to hold a variety of roles in the medical field, including University Professor, Scientist, and Research Director. A leader in the fight against cancer, Dr. Joseph Schlessinger founded three pharmaceutical companies within two decades. Through his considerable efforts, several important medical discoveries took place under his watch, including the creation of the first FDA-approved cancer drug for renal cancer and gastrointestinal stromal tumors, as well as the discovery of a Raf inhibitor for melanomas. For his work in elucidating a new code that tracks the information flow within the cell, Dr. Joseph Schlessinger received the eminent Dan David Prize.

Joseph Schlessinger is well-known around the globe for his skill with words. An expert in both the written word as well as the spoken, Schlessinger has given a multitude of lectures and has made over 400 written contributions. Since first embarking on his career, Joseph Schlessinger has distinguished himself from his peers with his considerable accomplishments. Most recently, he received the Medal of Danica Hrvatska Order from the Republic of Croatia.

Dr. Joseph Schlessinger keeps current in his field through his memberships in the National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine, the National Academy of Science, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Russian Academy of Sciences, and the European Academy of Sciences.

Outside of work, Joseph Schlessinger enjoys unwinding by listening to music, appreciating art, or taking in a ballet. An avid reader, he particularly enjoys Russian authors such as Anton Chekhov and Leo Tolstoy.