Proton Collaborative Group Announces Dr. Charles Simone Will Serve as its Next President
Warrenville, IL, February 11, 2021 — Today, the Proton Collaborative Group (PCG), the largest research consortium for proton therapy in the world, announced that Dr. Charles B. Simone, II, Chief Medical Officer of the New York Proton Center (NYPC), has been elected to serve as the group’s next President of the Board of Directors.
The PCG comprises radiation oncologists and clinical researchers from 17 member institutions, including the New York Proton Center, Mayo Clinic, Northwestern Medicine Proton Center, Miami Cancer Institute, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance Proton Center, and others.
Dr. Simone will helm the group’s efforts to develop new research protocols and enhance collaboration across multiple treatment centers to facilitate the development of practice-advancing clinical evidence for proton therapy. He takes over as President at a time when PCG is imminently expanding by several additional member institutions and also finalizing collaborations with two other proton consortiums to lead a singular national research registry encompassing patient data from nearly all proton centers throughout the United States.
“COVID-19 has necessarily forced all cancer providers to focus on adapting to care delivery amid an ongoing public health crisis, but despite these challenges, we cannot lose sight of the longer-term imperative to drive treatment innovation,” said Dr. Charles Simone, Chief Medical Officer of the New York Proton Center and President of the Proton Collaborative Group. “The Proton Collaborative Group is the leading consortium for investigating and advancing this highly effective radiotherapy modality, and the consortium has already authored dozens of impactful articles supporting the use of proton therapy. I am proud to lead PCG during this exciting time of its expansion and to work with my peers across the country to further the evidence for proton therapy.”
“With experience leading three nationally recognized proton centers, Dr. Simone brings invaluable insights to his leadership of the Proton Collaborative Group,” said Dr. William Hartsell, former PCG President and Medical Director of Northwestern Medicine Proton Center. “He will be an excellent steward of the mission of this consortium to further the research and practice of proton therapy.”
“This is a crucial moment for advancing the science and clinical applications of proton therapy, with numerous national trials underway and an increase in data collection from centers across the country that is having a profound impact on research. Dr. Simone has been a highly valued member of our team for several years, and we could not ask for a more qualified leader to guide PCG at this time,” said Jillian Plochocki-Smallwood, Executive Director of the Proton Collaborative Group.
Dr. Simone is an internationally recognized expert in the use of proton therapy to treat thoracic malignancies and for reirradiation, and in the development of clinical trial strategies and innovative research in thoracic radiation oncology and stereotactic body radiation therapy. In addition to his role as Chief Medical Officer of NYPC, the New York City-based proton therapy facility operated in partnership with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Montefiore Health System and Mount Sinai Health System, Dr. Simone is a Full Member in the Department of Radiation Oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
In addition to his new position as President, Dr. Simone will continue to serve as Chair of the PCG Lung Committee, a position he has held since 2014. He has also served as Chair of the PCG Executive Council since 2016, a position in which he has overseen all eight prospective multi-center national proton therapy trials currently enrolling across PCG institutions. A transition plan is in place for that Chair position.
About the Proton Collaborative Group
Founded in 2009 by a group of radiation oncologists whose primary mission was to improve the survival outcomes of cancer patients and the quality of life for affected individuals, PCG is the largest research consortium for proton therapy in the world. Today, PCG is comprised of 17 member institutions from across the United States collaborating to develop new research protocols and sharing those results across multiple treatment centers would best serve their mission.
For additional information, please visit www.pcgresearch.com.
About the New York Proton Center
The New York Proton Center is creating the gold standard for proton therapy, giving new hope to patients living with cancer. In partnership with leading academic medical centers—Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Montefiore Health System, and Mount Sinai Health System—the New York Proton Center brings together expert oncologists, clinical care teams, and researchers to improve cancer care and advance the clinical evidence for proton therapy.
For additional information, please visit www.nyproton.com.
