Jesús San-Miguel, MD, PhD is currently Senior Consultant at the Cancer Center Clínica Universidad de Navarra and Professor of Medicine. He has been Director of Clinical and Translational Medicine at the University of Navarra and Medical Director of the Clínica Universidad de Navarra from 2013 until last August 2023. He served as director of the Hematology Department of the University Hospital of Salamanca in Spain for more than two decades. He was also President of the International Myeloma Society from 2012 until 2019. The international reputation of Prof. San Miguel is supported by the quality of the >950 PAPERS published in top peer-reviewed journals with an H INDEX OF 127, together with 120 BOOK CHAPTERS and monographs. Sum of times cited: 68588. He has presented >200 invited lectures including the educational programs of the European and American Hematology Societies and the American Society of Clinical Oncology. Nevertheless, perhaps his most relevant feature is the ability to integrate the clinic and the bench in a translational research model to serve the patient. This is reflected in the following contributions, summarized as five MILESTONES that Impacted Clinical Practice:
1) Leadership role in pivotal studies for new anti-myeloma drugs in preclinical and clinical settings that led to the APPROVAL OF 4 DRUG COMBINATIONS by EMA & FDA: bortezomib-MP, panobinostat-VP, pomalidomide- Dex, and daratumumab-VMP, and the first CAR-T cell for Myeloma (Ide-Cel).
2) Introduction of the concept of “early diagnosis and intervention in smoldering myeloma” that led to a CHANGE IN THE DIAGNOSTIC CRITERIA of multiple myeloma.
3) The establishment of CENTRALIZED UNITS FOR THE DIAGNOSIS AND MONITORING of hematological malignancies (>80.000 patients have benefited from the studies performed at these units), with special leadership in the area of immunophenotyping and minimal residual disease (pioneering this concept in acute leukemia and myeloma). THIS HAS CHANGED THE RESPONSE CRITERIA FOR MULTIPLE MYELOMA.
4) A leading role in establishing COOPERATIVE GROUPS AND NETWORKS (at both domestic and international levels) (i.e. the Spanish myeloma group, the European myeloma network, the European network of minimal residual disease, the International Myeloma Working Group…).
5) Passionate, COMMITTED SERVICE TO MEDICAL COMMUNITY AND TO PATIENTS through participation in domestic and international committees and commissions, as well as the conception of numerous (>20) guidelines and consensus papers on diagnosis, classification and treatment. Responsible for the creation of the International Staging System for myeloma (>2000 citations). It should be also highlighted the outstanding reputation achieved by the Spanish Myeloma Group, which he founded, and includes >100 HOSPITALS, allowing patients to have access to uniform treatments through innovative clinical trials. Noteworthy is his long lasting INSTITUTIONAL LEADERSHIP as past Vice-director of the Cancer Center of Salamanca, past Scientific Director of the Biomedical Research Institute of Salamanca (IBSAL); past director of Clinical and Translational
Medicine at the University of Navarra and Scientific Director of CIMA. Finally, his mentorship capacity includes >40 HEMATOLOGISTS AND 40 PhD STUDENTS have been trained under his supervision.
Dr. San Miguel reputation has been recognized by >30 RESEARCH AWARDS AND HONORS such as the Waldenström Award, the Kyle Life Achievement Award (the second European that obtains both distinctions), the EHA-Carreras Award, the Thomas H. Ham-Wasserman Lecture Award, the Michaelli Award (Cornell University & SAS Foundation), the KNAW Bob Pinedo Award (Royal Netherland Academy of Arts & Science), Premio Fundación Lilly, Premio Rey Jaime I and the Spanish National Prize 2021 of Medicine (Gregorio Marañon).