Anirban Maitra, M.B.B.S.
Pancreatic Cancer Moon Shot
About Dr. Maitra
Anirban Maitra, M.B.B.S., is the scientific director of the Pancreatic Cancer Research Center at MD Anderson and co-leader of the Pancreatic Cancer Moon Shot™. He's a physician scientist who spends time in the laboratory and also in the hospital, with the intent of bringing the best science forward to our patients.
Affiliations and Related Links
Fighting Cancer: It's Personal
What makes the Moon Shots Program stand out?
We're all about the patient, and we've made it very clear to all members of our team that we need to check our egos and any desire for personal glory at the door. Our defining paradigm is team science, which implies trust in one another and a clear line of vision towards the greater good.
What do you hope to accomplish?
We want to have a dramatic impact on the survival of patients with pancreatic cancer, which currently stands at a dismal 8% over 5 years. We're doing this through a combination of diagnosing patients earlier in their disease, so we can offer them potentially curative surgeries, and by providing state of the art therapeutic options for those that present with advanced disease. The patient will always be central to our team’s objectives.
What's your Moon Shot focus?
We've launched an all-out attack on pancreatic cancer from multiple fronts. In particular, our Moon Shot™ has three flagship projects dedicated to targeted therapies, immunotherapy and early detection. We have a team of over 40 scientists and clinicians working with unending zeal to improve the lives of patients with pancreatic cancer.
What makes your fight against cancer personal?
I've spent my entire academic career fighting this horrible cancer. What brought me to MD Anderson was realizing that the impact I can have on the course of this disease, and on society, will be substantially larger because of the unprecedented reach of this institution. My job is tiring, yet deeply satisfying on a personal level. I'm truly hopeful that all of the “sweat equity” I'm putting in will lead to better survival and cures for our most important asset – our patients.
What motivates and excites you?
I'm motivated by the 53,000 Americans and hundreds of thousands worldwide that die from this terrible disease each year. We've not seen meaningful progress in pancreatic cancer for over 40 years, and it’s time to change that once and for all. I'm excited by the enduring spirit of collaboration, creativity and kinship that binds our team and I truly believe we will turn the tide against this disease.
What else do you want people to know about you and your work?
As long as I am a co-leader of this team, we will abide by the words of President Truman:
“There is no limit to what a man (or woman) can do or where he (or she) can go, if he (or she) doesn’t mind who gets the credit.”