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Steven Rosenberg

National Cancer Institute

Potomac, MD USA

"No matter what you do, you will have an opportunity to impact on other people's lives, just by who you are and the way you act."

Career Roadmap

Steven's work combines: Medicine, Science, and Helping People

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Chief of Surgery

I'm a cancer researcher and pioneered the development of immunotherapy to help millions of cancer patients.

My path in life has been direct

1.
His parents were born in Poland but immigrated to America because of anti-Semitic persecution.
2.
When he was five or six years old, his family started receiving postcards notifying them of family members who'd died in concentration camps.
3.
He couldn't believe that people could perpetuate human suffering in such an extreme way.
4.
Decided that he wanted to be on the other side of that fence: he wanted to do everything he could to alleviate human suffering.
5.
When he first started working with cancer patients, he recognized a Holocaust-like effect; these innocent people were suffering for no good reason.
6.
His goal is to cure cancer and everyone that has it; says it's unlikely he'll achieve that goal, but he can certainly put a dent in it.
7.
When he lies awake at night, he doesn't think about his success; he thinks, "What else can I be doing for my patients?"
8.
Calls his job a "roller coaster of joy and great sadness," but he never has to question if his work is important-he knows it is.

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