obituary José Baselga 1959–2021

y mentor and friend José Baselga died on 21 March 2021 at the age Mof 61, surrounded by his family in La Cerdanya, north of Barcelona, Spain. José was widely considered one of the best cancer-drug developers in the world, in addition to being a compassionate and gifted clinician. In his career, José contributed to the development and approval of a dozen drugs, saving or improving the lives of countless patients with cancer. José was born in Barcelona in 1959 and received his medical degree from Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona in 1983. He started his residency at Vall d’Hebron Hospital, but before completing it, moved to the United States to work at Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn, New York. Despite his clinical duties, José also conducted laboratory work at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), testing the activity of new antibodies that target the growth-factor receptors EGFR and HER2—precursors of the now-approved targeted therapies and . In 1991 he moved to MSKCC full time, to work under the mentorship of Photo compliments of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. and Larry Norton, with whom he contributed to the development of cetuximab, the clinical investigation program in one lead the breast cancer program shortly after to EGFR that is currently approved for of the best hospitals in the world, and he joined AstraZeneca: “He challenged the both head and neck cancer and colorectal he succeeded again. In January 2013, norm and made magic happen whether that cancer, and trastuzumab, the monoclonal José returned to New York, having been was in people or organizations. His ability antibody to HER2 that revolutionized the appointed Physician-in-Chief of MSKCC to lead, push, build and have the vision of management of HER2-positive breast cancer. and, at the same time, starting his laboratory the future is what differentiated him from In 1996, José made the bold decision in the institute’s Human Oncology and others.” I met José in September 2004, to return to Spain and serve as Chief of Pathogenesis Program. Under his leadership, when he offered me a postdoc position in Oncology of Vall d’Hebron Hospital in MSKCC founded the Center for Molecular his laboratory in Barcelona. That was the Barcelona, at the time an internationally Oncology, where the tumors of almost all beginning of a long professional relationship little-known public hospital that lacked a patients walking into the clinic would be and friendship during which we laughed, strong oncology research track. Beyond genomically characterized, and invested shouted and argued, but most of all, shared his skills as a clinician scientist, a real considerable resources into the Early Drug mutual respect and rejoiced watching many gift José had was his vision. Looking far Development Service, a multidisciplinary mentees finding their ways into science. I into the future, he worked strenuously to group of oncologists and researchers with witnessed the cultural change José was able attract talent and hire the best biomedical the common goal of testing innovative to instill in others, especially during his time professionals to create not only a powerhouse therapies in patients with cancer. In January at MSKCC, when he was leading the clinical of oncology research but also a new school of 2019, José accepted another challenge—no component of the institute and oversaw biomedical thinking: science-based precision one knew it would be his final one—by clinical and translational research. I, along medicine. The legacy of this work, visible on moving to the pharmaceutical industry with other colleagues, rode the same wave the hills overlooking the hospital, is the Vall to become Executive Vice-President of enthusiasm for translational research. d’Hebron Institute of Oncology, now led by for Research & Development Oncology Back then, nothing seemed impossible. José’s Josep Tabernero, José’s closest collaborator at at AstraZeneca, with the mandate to scientific thinking was always a few years the time. revolutionize the way clinical trials are ahead of his time. His way of celebrating a Never one to rest on his laurels, in designed and performed. scientific success was by seeking the next 2010 José was ready once again for a Every time José arrived at a new one: the next difficult problem to tackle, career change. As the Chief of Oncology institution, it was like a storm: a few trees the next drug to develop, or the next and Co-Director of the Cancer Center at might fall along the way, but the blades of therapy combination to test—all driven Massachusetts General Hospital, he had the windmills were constantly spinning. In by an unrelenting desire to do better for the opportunity to build a competitive the words of Sunil Verma, hired by José to the patients.

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José lived his mission intensely, and, as past collaborator Levi Garraway compared trained by him and worked alongside him. his mentee, I always recognized his need José’s career to La Sagrada Familia, the His immense contribution to oncology for others to share the way he felt about famous, and still unfinished, church in transformed the clinical practice and research, whether he was ecstatic about Barcelona designed by Antoni Gaudí: “Like improved the lives of many patients. This a clinical study or a discovery in the lab, the church, José’s presence was towering, will be his lasting legacy and will continue to or disappointed about a result. Through inspirational, and decidedly unique—yet guide the way new medicines are tested and those shared feelings for both the successes unfinished. The ‘finishing’ must now be approved to revolutionize cancer care for and the disappointments, he motivated done by the people whom he inspired years to come. ❐ his mentees and collaborators and steeled and galvanized.” their resolve to bring forward the next wave José’s untimely passing has created an Maurizio Scaltriti ✉ of innovative thinking and overcome the unfillable void in the lives of his beloved AstraZeneca, Waltham, MA, USA. challenges they faced. family and his many friends. His visionary ✉e-mail: maurizio.scaltriti@.com During a memorial for José where leadership and insatiable scientific curiosity dozens of scientists, oncologists and friends have left an indelible impression on the Published online: 5 May 2021 gathered to remember his life, his friend and researchers and clinicians who were https://doi.org/10.1038/s43018-021-00209-5

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