Monica Baskin, Ph.D., becomes first Black woman named to lead an NCI-designated cancer center

The population scientist and health equity researcher will lead VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center, marking a historic milestone in cancer research and care.

Monica L. Baskin, Ph.D., has been named the first Black woman to lead a National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center, joining a legacy of Black women in health while taking on a role connected to persistent cancer disparities. Baskin’s appointment places her at the head of VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center in Richmond, Virginia.

The VCU announcement said Baskin will serve as the center’s next director and is expected to become the Lipman Chair in Oncology, pending approval by the university’s Board of Visitors in September. She will begin the director’s role Aug. 3, becoming Massey’s first woman director and its fifth leader since receiving NCI designation in 1975.

Baskin will oversee a comprehensive cancer center with about 250 scientists and clinical investigators. VCU said she is one of only nine women in the country currently serving as director of a comprehensive cancer center.

A population scientist and counseling psychologist, Baskin has built her career around cancer prevention, community engagement and health equity. Her research examines how behavioral, social and environmental factors affect screening, treatment and survivorship, particularly in rural and medically underserved communities.

“It is an honor to be named as the next director at VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center,” Baskin said. She added that the center would continue emphasizing advanced science, compassionate care and collaboration with the community.

The Atlanta native has a personal connection to that work. Baskin lost her father to colorectal cancer during her senior year of high school and later lost several other relatives to cancer. Those experiences helped guide her toward psychology, early detection and cancer prevention research.

Since joining Massey in February 2025, Baskin has served as deputy director of research, associate dean for cancer innovation in the VCU School of Medicine and, most recently, interim director. She previously held leadership positions at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center and the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Baskin has been a principal investigator or primary leader on teams awarded more than $70 million in National Institutes of Health grants. Baskin’s appointment also puts her in charge as Massey prepares to renew its Cancer Center Support Grant and the comprehensive status it first earned in 2023.

Her historic cancer center leadership will focus on advancing research while helping communities across central, southern and eastern Virginia benefit from prevention, screening and care.

Baskin received her bachelor’s degrees in psychology and sociology from Emory University and her master’s and doctoral degree from Georgia State University in community counseling and counseling psychology.