Roswell Park Community Comes Together to Celebrate Outstanding Physicians

BUFFALO, N.Y. — On Sept. 26, the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center community celebrated the first Physician Excellence in Cancer Care Awards at the Statler Buffalo — a night dedicated to honoring the heart, science and leadership of the physicians of Roswell Park.

Roswell Park physicians received inaugural Physician Excellence in Cancer Care Awards in five categories, recognized among dozens of accomplished nominees. Nominated by their peers, these physicians exemplify the highest standards of care and research, while serving as mentors and inspirations to their colleagues across the organization.

“It was a wonderful night and an opportunity to take stock of how much talent and dedication Roswell Park’s medical staff bring to our patients and our community,” says Chief Medical Officer Julia Faller, DO, MS. “I am incredibly honored to work in support of all our physicians and to celebrate the excellence that they recognize in one another.”

Award Winners

• Moshim Kukar, MD, FACS — Precision Medicine Award for Clinical Excellence
  
  Dr. Kukar, Chair of Surgical Oncology, Chief of Foregut and Endocrine Surgery and Program Director for Roswell Park’s Complex General Surgical Oncology Fellowship, received the Precision Medicine Award for Clinical Excellence. Rooted in our center’s long-standing commitment to tailoring treatment to the individual, this award recognizes a physician who consistently delivers exceptional, precise and evidence-based care. Their clinical judgment and patient outcomes raise the bar for excellence.
  “Dr. Moshim Kukar maintains a true standard of excellence across all categories,” wrote his nominator. “He is respectful, determined, efficient, compassionate and expects 100% effort to his patients from himself and his team. Under his leadership, Roswell Park has become one of the nation’s highest-volume centers for robotic gastroesophageal surgery and the only center outside New York City offering a robotic approach to pancreaticoduodenectomy.”
  
   

• Emese Zsiros, MD, PhD, FACOG — Breaking Barriers Award for Visionary Leadership
  
  Dr. Zsiros, Chair of Gynecologic Oncology and the Shashi Lele, MD, Endowed Chair in Gynecologic Oncology, received the Breaking Barriers Award for Visionary Leadership. This category celebrates bold leadership that mirrors Roswell Park’s historic firsts — from becoming a designated comprehensive cancer center to advancing public health. This physician recognized with this award is someone who drives change, challenges the status quo, and leads with clarity and courage.

  “Dr. Emese Zsiros has a rare and remarkable ability to transform vision into reality,” her nominator wrote. “She listens intently, understands deeply, and responds with thoughtful, decisive action. She identifies challenges, formulates solutions, and executes them with precision and grace. Even before taking the reins of our department, she demonstrated bold vision and innovation.”
   

• Desi Carozza, MD, FAAHPM — Founding Vision Award for Compassionate Care

  
  Dr. Carozza, Assistant Professor of Oncology in the Department of Supportive and Palliative Care and leader of a clinical program focused on the needs of older adults, received the Founding Vision Award for Compassionate Care. This award honors a physician whose compassion reflects the spirit of Roswell Park’s founding — a bold belief that cancer care could and should be done differently. This honoree brings humanity, hope, and heart to every patient interaction, embodying our commitment to treating the whole person.

  “Dr. Desi Carozza redefines what compassionate cancer care looks like in clinical practice,” said her nominator. “Her empathy and insight extend beyond patients and families — she is a trusted resource for her physician colleagues as well. She has wonderful intuition with patients as far as eliciting their values and aligning with them.”

• Grace Dy, MD — Pathways to Discovery Award for Research Innovation

  
  Dr. Dy, Professor of Oncology in the Department of Medicine and Director of Translational Research for Thoracic Medicine, received the Pathways to Discovery Award for Research Innovation, which honors a physician whose research efforts reflect the same transformative impact as the scientific milestones achieved here — from early chemotherapy development to immunotherapy leadership. Their work opens new doors for treatment, cures, and hope.
  “Dr. Grace Dy’s dedication to research, leadership in clinical trials and commitment to patient education have profoundly shaped the landscape of lung cancer treatment, ushering in an era of personalized and increasingly effective therapies,” her nominator wrote. “Her focus extends to phase 1 clinical trials, which lay the groundwork for identifying the safe and effective dosages for new drugs.”

   

• Brian Betts, MD — Team Science Award for Collaborative Excellence

  
  Dr. Betts, Professor of Oncology and Vice Chair of Strategic Initiatives for Transplant & Cellular Therapy Department of Medicine, received the Team Science Award for Collaborative Excellence. Inspired by Roswell Park’s multidisciplinary care model, this honoree reflects the belief that cancer is best fought by teams. This award honors a physician whose collaborative spirit strengthens clinical teams, research partnerships and patient-centered care by building trust and shared purpose.

  “Dr. Brian Betts is a rare leader whose work seamlessly bridges discovery and patient care,” wrote his nominator. “His contributions to advancing cellular therapy and transplantation science have consistently been accomplished through team-based efforts that cross disciplines and institutions. His work with colleagues across disease specialties underscores his versatility.”
  
   

Lists of nominees in each of the five categories can be viewed at roswellpark.org/physicianawards.

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From the world’s first chemotherapy research to the PSA prostate cancer biomarker, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center generates innovations that shape how cancer is detected, treated and prevented worldwide. The Roswell Park team of 4,000+ makes compassionate, patient-centered cancer care and services accessible across New York State and beyond. Rated “Exceptional” by the National Cancer Institute, Roswell Park, founded in 1898, was one of the first NCI-designated comprehensive cancer centers in the country and remains the only one in Upstate New York. To learn more about Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Roswell Park Care Network, visit www.roswellpark.org, call 1-800-ROSWELL (1-800-767-9355) or email ASKRoswell@RoswellPark.org.