“Oncology is a fascinating field, one with so much potential for helping people. That potential to make a difference is why I chose to work in medicine.”
- Location
-
City of Hope Phoenix
14200 West Celebrate Life Way
Goodyear, AZ 85338
- Specialties
- Hematologic Oncology
- Education
- Medical school:
University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM
- Residency:
Internal Medicine - University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
- Fellowship:
Research - Institute for Human Genetics, University of Minnesota
Medical Oncology - Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA
Research - Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
- Certifications
Medical Oncology - American Board of Internal Medicine
Internal Medicine - American Board of Internal Medicine
- About Me
Dr. James Slack joined City of Hope in Phoenix, Arizona, in April 2022 as a Hematologic Oncologist. Dr. Slack has decades of experience treating hematologic malignancies and will play a key role in the Bone Marrow Transplant Program at City of Hope Phoenix.
“I began my career in oncology as a researcher,” Dr. Slack says. “But after a few years as a ‘lab guy,’ I realized that I wanted to take a more direct role in treating patients. This is what led me to transition out of the lab and into a clinical setting, where I could focus my work on providing patient-centered care.”
Dr. Slack retired in 2021 from his position as Director of the adult Bone Marrow Transplant program at the Mayo Clinic Arizona, but decided to re-join the workforce when offered the opportunity to bring his expertise to City of Hope.
“I’ve known Dr. Jeffrey Schriber [Director of Hematologic Malignancies at City of Hope Phoenix] for many years,” Dr. Slack said. “I've been enjoying my retirement, but I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Dr. Schriber again to develop a world-class Bone Marrow Transplant Program at City of Hope Phoenix.”
As a native of the southwestern United States, getting to work at City of Hope Phoenix was of particular interest to Dr. Slack. “After nearly ten years in Buffalo, the weather was a big draw,” he says. His primary motivation for joining City of Hope, however, was because of the need for more top-quality bone marrow transplant programs in Arizona.
In his role at City of Hope, Dr. Slack is also exploring the applications of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, an emerging type of immunotherapy treatment.
“When I first started out in research, we could only dream about developing treatments like CAR T-cell therapy,” he says. “I’m looking forward to using CAR T alongside bone marrow transplants to provide the greatest possible care for our patients at City of Hope.”
Dr. Slack received his medical degree from University of New Mexico School of Medicine in Albuquerque, NM. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis and his Medical Oncology fellowship at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle, WA. Dr. Slack spent nine years at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo, NY. before relocating to the Mayo Clinic Arizona in Phoenix in 2003.
Outside of his work in oncology, Dr. Slack loves being outdoors. His favorite activities include golfing, spending time with his dog and hiking. He recently completed a 150-mile trek on the Pacific Crest Trail.
- Patient ratings
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