Monica L. Baskin, Ph.D., has been named director of VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center, becoming the first Black woman to lead an NCI‑designated cancer center. She will begin on Aug. 3 and is expected to be named the Lipman Chair in Oncology pending board approval in September. Baskin will oversee about 250 investigators, brings experience leading projects awarded more than $70 million in NIH funding, and will guide Massey as it seeks renewal of its Cancer Center Support Grant while advancing prevention and health equity initiatives.
Monica L. Baskin Named First Black Woman Director Of An NCI‑Designated Cancer Center — To Lead VCU Massey
Dr. Monica Baskin, Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center (Source: Virginia Commonwealth University)
Monica L. Baskin, Ph.D., a population scientist and counseling psychologist, has been named director of the VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center in Richmond, Virginia, becoming the first Black woman to lead a National Cancer Institute (NCI)–designated cancer center. Her leadership marks a historic milestone for diversity in cancer research and care.
Appointment And Role
VCU announced that Baskin will assume the directorship on Aug. 3 and is expected to be named the Lipman Chair in Oncology pending approval by the university’s Board of Visitors in September. She will be the first woman to direct Massey and the center’s fifth leader since it earned NCI designation in 1975.
Scope Of Leadership
As director, Baskin will oversee a comprehensive cancer center that includes roughly 250 scientists and clinical investigators. VCU noted she is one of only nine women nationwide currently directing a comprehensive cancer center. Her responsibilities will include guiding scientific strategy, strengthening community partnerships, and leading efforts to renew the center’s Cancer Center Support Grant and maintain its comprehensive status, first achieved in 2023.
Research Focus And Career
A population scientist and counseling psychologist by training, Baskin has focused her career on cancer prevention, early detection, community engagement and health equity. Her research examines how behavioral, social and environmental factors influence screening, treatment and survivorship—particularly in rural and medically underserved communities. She has served as principal investigator or primary leader on teams awarded more than $70 million in National Institutes of Health grants.
"It is an honor to be named as the next director at VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center," Baskin said, adding that the center will continue to prioritize cutting-edge science, compassionate care and strong community partnerships.
Personal Motivation And Experience
An Atlanta native, Baskin lost her father to colorectal cancer during her senior year of high school and later lost other relatives to the disease. Those personal losses influenced her decision to pursue psychology and to concentrate on early detection and prevention research. She joined VCU Massey in February 2025 and has since served as deputy director of research, associate dean for cancer innovation in the VCU School of Medicine, and interim director. Prior leadership roles include positions at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center and the O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Looking Ahead
Under Baskin’s direction, Massey plans to advance translational and population science while expanding prevention, screening and care initiatives designed to benefit communities across central, southern and eastern Virginia. Her appointment reinforces the center’s commitment to combining rigorous science with community-centered approaches to reduce disparities in cancer outcomes.
Education: Bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and Sociology from Emory University; Master’s and Ph.D. in Community Counseling and Counseling Psychology from Georgia State University.
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