UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center names physician-in-chief

David Tom Cooke has been permanently appointed the physician-in-chief for UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center after serving in an interim role for the past year. Cooke is a UC Davis Health professor and founding chief of the Division of General Thoracic Surgery, for which the division’s motto is “equality of great quality.”

Cancer center director Primo “Lucky” Lara Jr. called Cooke a “proven leader” and a “clear choice” for the position.

“As the only National Cancer Institute-designated facility in inland Northern California, our center’s mission is clear: to push the boundaries of cancer care through research and compassion. Dr. Cooke is committed to bringing groundbreaking therapies to our community, addressing health inequities, and improving the lives of a diverse population of over 6 million people,” Lara said in announcing the news.

Cooke will lead the development and oversight of the cancer center’s performance targets and metrics. This includes setting standards of care, measuring and improving clinical outcomes and disseminating best practices. Cooke also oversees the medical directors of the inpatient oncology units and outpatient clinics, as well as the cancer center’s physicians and prominent clinicians who are leaders in their field.

“As we look to the future, my vision is to create a seamless, compassionate experience for everyone in our center,” said Cooke. “By simplifying our systems, easing the fears that accompany cancer treatment and nurturing trust at every level of care, we’re building a space where our patients, providers and team members feel supported and empowered.”

A trailblazer in reducing the cancer burden in marginalized communities

In 2023, Cooke was recognized for care and compassion in medicine by the nonprofit organization Physicians for a Healthy California which presented him with the 2022 Ethnic Physician Leadership Award. Cancer Health magazine also included him in Cancer Health’s 25: Black Lives Matter list in 2021.

Cooke will continue in his role as the cancer center’s associate director of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEAL). IDEAL promotes pathways for career and leadership development opportunities for under-represented cancer center academicians. It also develops infrastructure and policies to promote a culture of inclusivity, diversity equity and accessibility.