David Berd, MD - National Director of Immunotherapy and Medical Oncologist
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Three goals guide Dr. David Berd in his role as National Director of Immunotherapy and medical oncologist: “First off, I want my patients to feel better. Secondly, I want to treat their cancer. Third, I want to lengthen their life,” he says.
Board certified in medical oncology and internal medicine, Dr. Berd earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Pennsylvania State University, before attending Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia. After earning his medical degree, Dr. Berd completed both an internship and residency at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.
In 1970, Dr. Berd moved from Philadelphia to Atlanta, Georgia to work for the U.S. Public Health Service in the Center for Disease Control and Laboratory branch. During his military service, he also taught at the Emory University School of Medicine.
After two years in the South, Dr. Berd migrated to New Haven, Connecticut and completed a fellowship in medical oncology at the Yale University School of Medicine. He subsequently completed a National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded research fellowship at Yale.
Prior to joining CTCA, Dr. Berd worked as an attending physician at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, where he had taught since 1991. He also spent nine years as a research physician at Fox Chase Cancer Center. Most recently, Dr. Berd served as the Chief Medical Officer for AVAX Technologies, Inc.
Over the course of his career, Dr. Berd has published 83 papers in numerous medical journals alongside dozens of editorials, reviews and abstracts. He has also attended numerous conferences, seminars, and over 100 lectures by invitation.
Dr. Berd’s dedication to the field of oncology is indisputable. In January 1997, Cancer Research featured Dr. Berd on the cover. Later that year, the Department of Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University honored him with the Outstanding Researcher Award. Most recently, Philadelphia Magazine named Dr. Berd one of Philadelphia’s Top Doctors in July 2008.
In June 2008, Dr. Berd joined CTCA. According to Dr. Berd, the combination of choices, cutting-edge therapies, and hope sets CTCA apart from other cancer hospitals. “The entire operation at CTCA is centered on the welfare of the patients. Many hospitals claim to be patient-centered, but very few put it into practice,” says Dr. Berd. One of his first initiatives since joining CTCA is an experimental cancer vaccine, which is currently being tested in patients with ovarian cancer.
Dr. Berd is a member of eight professional societies, including the American Association for Cancer Research, the American Society for Clinical Oncology, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the American Association of Immunologists. He also serves on review committees for various government advisory groups.
Dr. Berd is married with two grown children. He finds inspiration in his favorite quote by Rabbi Hillel: "If I am not for myself, then who will be for me? But if I am only for myself, then what am I?"
Other Medical Oncologists at Eastern
- Sramila Aithal, MD
Hematologist-Oncologist & Medical Oncologist - Shayma Kazmi, MD
Hematologist-Oncologist & Medical Oncologist - Eiko Klimant, MD, FACP
Medical Oncologist - Dinesh N. Patel, MD
Medical Oncologist - Rudolph Willis, MD
Chief of Medical Oncology
