Address: 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, 77030 Houston, Texas, United States
Oncology, Cancer Research, Immunology, Diagnostic Imaging, Radiation Therapy
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center is a public cancer centre and an autonomous institution of the University of Texas System, located in Houston, Texas. It was founded in 1941, when the Texas Legislature appropriated 500,000 dollars to build a cancer hospital and research centre. It carries the name of Monroe Dunaway Anderson. The M.D. Anderson Foundation, created with 300,000 dollars, matched the state funds on the condition that the hospital be built in the Texas Medical Center in Houston and bear his name.
For about ten years the hospital worked from a converted residence with 46 leased beds. It moved to its present site in the Texas Medical Center in 1954. The campus is divided into North, Mid and South campuses, and construction of the Helix Park building on the South Campus began in 2023. By 2023 it had 760 beds, and it has provided cancer care to more than 1.2 million people since 1944. The Children’s Cancer Hospital treats young patients up to the age of 29 through its adolescent and young adult programme.
Presidents include R. Lee Clark from 1946 to 1978, Charles LeMaistre from 1978 to 1996, John Mendelsohn from 1996 to 2011, Ronald DePinho from 2011 to 2017, and Peter Pisters, in office since 2017. Training is offered through postdoctoral fellowships, medical internships and residencies. The UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, run with McGovern Medical School, grants master’s and doctoral degrees and joint MD and PhD degrees, and the School of Health Professions offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees in fields such as diagnostic imaging and radiation therapy.
The centre invested 1.2 billion dollars in research in the 2023 fiscal year. It ranks first among institutions for grants from the National Cancer Institute and, as of 2023, runs the largest number of cancer clinical trials in the world. It houses institutes such as the James P. Allison Institute and the Institute for Applied Cancer Science. James Allison, a professor and chair of immunology, shared the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Tasuku Honjo for discoveries in cancer immunotherapy.
U.S. News and World Report ranked it first in cancer care for 2024 and 2025, its tenth consecutive year at the top, and it was one of the three original comprehensive cancer centres designated by the National Cancer Institute. Tuition for degree programmes differs by programme. Check the current tariff. Teaching is in English.
Domains taught:
Bioengineering, Bioinformatics, Life Sciences, Microbiology and Genetics, Statistics
Diplomas*:
Certificate, Doctor, Master
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
University of Texas System, UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, McGovern Medical School, Texas Medical Center, National Cancer Institute.
Research:
Cancer biology, immunotherapy, clinical trials, applied cancer science and cancer prevention, with 1.2 billion dollars invested in research in fiscal year 2023.
Famous Alumnis:
James P. Allison, R. Lee Clark, John Mendelsohn, Ronald DePinho, Peter W. T. Pisters
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
N/A
Current students***:
N/A
Foreign students***:
N/A%
Cumulative former students***:
N/A
Pros
World-leading cancer centre, largest number of cancer clinical trials, top funding from the National Cancer Institute, direct link between hospital and laboratories.
Cons
Specialised in cancer, few undergraduate options, large and complex Texas Medical Center setting, patients travel from far away.
Best For
Clinicians and researchers who want to train in a large cancer centre that links patient care, laboratories and clinical trials.
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Most Similar Schools Locally
Among national alternatives, Baylor College of Medicine stands out for its focus on bioinformatics, microbiology and genetics and bioengineering, and it enrols about 1,577 students, and is private, whereas this university is public.
Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science sits close to this institution on bioinformatics, microbiology and genetics and bioengineering; it runs the same master's, doctoral and certificate programmes, and enrols about 4,200 students.
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center is the closest domestic counterpart for bioinformatics, microbiology and genetics and bioengineering; it also offers graduate certificate programmes, and enrols about 3,900 students.
For students who like the bioinformatics, microbiology and genetics and bioengineering focus of this university but want another option nearby, University of California, San Francisco fits well: it enrols about 3,100 students, and is also a public institution.
Where this institution leans on bioinformatics, microbiology and genetics and bioengineering, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School does the same, and it does not run the certificate programmes found here and enrols about 576 students.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
The closest overseas parallel on bioinformatics, microbiology and genetics and statistics is Southern Medical University, located in China; it also offers bachelor's programmes and is also a public institution.
Peking Union Medical College, based in China, is built around bioinformatics, microbiology and genetics and bioengineering much like this institution, and it does not run the certificate programmes found here and is also a public institution.
Karolinska Institute brings a Sweden setting to the same core fields, bioinformatics, microbiology and genetics and bioengineering, and it also offers bachelor's programmes and covers data analytics as well.
Seen from abroad, Medical University of Vienna (Austria) is a close relative on subject matter, since bioinformatics, microbiology and genetics and bioengineering are central to both, and it is also a public institution and also offers bachelor's programmes.
Hannover Medical School offers an international parallel to this university, with bioinformatics, microbiology and genetics and bioengineering as common ground; it is also a public institution and also offers bachelor's programmes.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
Where is MD Anderson Cancer Center?
In the Texas Medical Center in Houston, Texas.
When was it founded?
In 1941, when the Texas Legislature appropriated funds for a cancer hospital and research centre.
Who is it named after?
Monroe Dunaway Anderson.
When did it move to its present site?
In 1954, after about ten years in a converted residence with 46 leased beds.
How many beds does it have?
760 as of 2023.
How many patients has it treated?
More than 1.2 million people since 1944.
Which degrees can students earn?
Master's and doctoral degrees and joint MD and PhD degrees through the UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, plus bachelor's and master's degrees in health professions.
Which Nobel laureate is linked to it?
James Allison, who shared the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
How is it ranked in cancer care?
First in the U.S. News and World Report ranking for 2024 and 2025.
What does it cost?
Tuition differs by programme. Check the current tariff.
Biology, Biomedical Sensors, Innovation, Research and Development
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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