Dr. Downing leads St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, where he is overseeing a $12.9 billion commitment to accelerate progress in the research and treatment of pediatric cancer and other catastrophic diseases. A renowned physician-scientist, Dr. Downing achieved a succession of seminal findings on the molecular pathology of pediatric leukemia and was instrumental in launching the Pediatric Cancer Genome Project, which led to groundbreaking discoveries in cancer research and earned recognition on TIME magazine’s 2012 list of top 10 medical advances. Under his leadership, St. Jude has championed “St. Jude Global,” an expansive program to raise survival rates for children with cancer and blood disorders in low- and middle-income countries, while consistently earning recognition for its organizational culture and as a top workplace. He holds the Donald Pinkel Chair of Childhood Cancer Treatment and has been elected to both the National Academy of Medicine and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, both among the highest honors in science and medicine. His many additional distinctions include the “E. Donnall Thomas Lecture and Prize” from the American Society of Hematology, the “Pediatric Oncology Award and Lecture” from the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the “Outstanding Achievement in Pediatric Cancer Research Award” from the AACR-St. Baldrick’s Foundation, and his 2016 appointment to the Blue Ribbon Panel for Vice President Joe Biden’s National Cancer Moonshot Initiative. In late 2026, Dr. Downing will step down as president and CEO and transition to a faculty role in the global pediatric medicine department.
