About Gil Schwartzberg
Businessman Gil Schwartzberg has been interested in cancer research and treatment ever since he was a child. After experiencing the unfortunate loss of his mother due to glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), a deadly brain tumor, Gil knew he wanted to get involved in the biomedical industry and help to improve both cancer treatment and research.
In 1977 Gil became a member of the Professions and Finance support auxiliary of City of Hope National Medical Center. Alongside many other financial industry executives, Gil worked to raise money for COH. He was passionate about the center’s ability to develop and support important research, as well as its ability to provide egalitarian health care to the very ill.
Gil worked his way up through the Professions and Finance support auxiliary, earning numerous executive titles and ultimately becoming chairman of the board. In 1990, Gil went beyond the PFA and joined the center’s National Board of Directors. He also founded a second support auxiliary: the Inner Circle of City of Hope, which was comprised of the center’s major financial contributors.
In 1995 Gil became Board Chairman of City of Hope, and three years later he was offered the position of CEO. Gil knew that this was an exceptional opportunity to continue his “war on cancer,” and he accepted the offer. This was the only time in the center’s history that a person had been offered both Board Chairman and CEO positions.
Gil utilized his extensive time at City of Hope to appoint top-notch researchers, oversee the distribution of multi-million dollar donations, and much more. While he was Board Chairman he oversaw the recruitment of Dr. John “Jack” Kovach, who would become COH’s executive vice president and chief of medicine and science. Thanks to the appointment of Dr. Kovach and his subsequent leadership, City of Hope finally earned its designation as an NCI Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Recognized for his ability to blend cutting-edge technology with personal, compassionate care, Gil received a Doctor of Science Degree from City of Hope’s Graduate School of Biological Sciences in 2003. He was the first person to ever receive that degree from the school. Gil will also retain the honorary title of Chairman Emeritus at City of Hope for life.
After his time at City of Hope Gil collaborated with his longtime friend Dr. Kovach to start Lixte Biotechnology Holdings, Inc., a small, publicly held biotech company, which focuses on creating better treatments for cancer. He is currently the company’s chief financial and strategic planning consultant and he is inspired by the great possibilities of Lixte’s principal compound, LB-100.
Gil’s work to combat the devastating effects of cancer has not slowed for nearly forty years now, and he continues to make advances in the field every day.