Fadlo R. Khuri
{{Short description|President of the American University of Beirut}}
{{Infobox governor
| honorific_prefix =
| name = Fadlo Khuri
| honorific_suffix =
| image = Fadlo R. Khuri.jpg
| alt =
| order =
| appointed = Board of Trustees of the American University of Beirut
| office = 16th president of the American University of Beirut
| term_start = September 1, 2015
| lieutenant =
| predecessor = Peter F. Dorman
| successor =
| birth_name =
| birth_date =
| birth_place = Boston, Massachusetts
| nationality =
| citizenship = {{flatlist|
| death_date =
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| residence =
| education = Yale University (BSc)
Columbia University (M.D.)
| occupation = President of the American University of Beirut
| profession = Oncologist
| spouse = Lamya Tannous
| children = 3
| website = {{url|https://www.aub.edu.lb/President/Pages/default.aspx|AUB Office of the President}}
}}
Fadlo R. Khuri ({{Langx|ar|فضلو خوري}}) is a Lebanese-American physician, researcher, and academic administrator, and the 16th president of the American University of Beirut (AUB) since 2015. The Board of Trusts announced the renewal of President Khuri's term until 2030.{{Cite web |title=President Fadlo R. Khuri Term Extended to 2030 |url=https://www.aub.edu/articles/Pages/President-Fadlo-Khuri-Term-Extended-to-2030.aspx?utm_source=chatgpt.com |access-date=2025-02-13 |website=American University of Beirut |language=en-US}} A specialist in oncology, he previously held prominent positions in medical research and academic administration in the United States before assuming leadership at AUB.{{Cite web |title=Fadlo Khuri new AUB president |url=https://www.businessnews.com.lb/cms/Story/StoryDetails/4721/Fadlo-Khuri-appointed-AUB-President |access-date=2025-01-29 |website=BusinessNews.com.lb |language=en-US}} On April 23, 2025, Dr. Fadlo R. Khuri was elected as a new fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in the category of Educational and Academic Leadership.{{Cite web |title=2025 New Member List {{!}} American Academy of Arts and Sciences |url=https://www.amacad.org/new-members-2025 |access-date=2025-04-24 |website=www.amacad.org |language=en}}
Early life and education
Fadlo Khuri was born in Boston, Massachusetts, and raised between the United States and Lebanon. He is the son of Raja Khuri,{{Cite news |date=1996-03-18 |title=Raja N. Khuri, 61, Educator in Beirut |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/03/18/world/raja-n-khuri-61-educator-in-beirut.html |access-date=2025-01-29 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}} a renowned physician and former dean of the AUB Faculty of Medicine. Khuri pursued his undergraduate studies at Yale University and obtained his medical degree from Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons.
Academic and medical career
Before his presidency at AUB, Khuri was a leading oncologist and medical researcher in the United States. He was professor and chair of hematology and medical oncology at Emory University’s School of Medicine{{Cite web |date=2025-01-30 |title=Fadlo Khuri {{!}} Wilson Center |url=https://www.wilsoncenter.org/person/fadlo-khuri |access-date=2025-01-30 |website=www.wilsoncenter.org |language=en}} and was deputy director of the Winship Cancer Institute in Georgia.
Khuri has authored more than 350 peer-reviewed articles, over 50 editorials and perspectives in leading journals, and more than 100 reviews and book chapters.{{Cite web |date=2019-02-12 |title=Fadlo R. Khuri, MD, FACP {{!}} Expert Voices Blog |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190212012318/http://blogs.cancer.org/expertvoices/fadlo-r-khuri/ |access-date=2025-02-13 |website=web.archive.org}} Among his most significant and highly cited publications is a controlled trial of ONYX-015, a selectively replicating adenovirus, in combination with cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil in patients with recurrent head and neck cancer.{{Cite web |title=Reinventing Higher Education 2019 {{!}} Fadlo KhuriPresident, American University of Beirut, Lebanon |url=https://rhe2019.ie.edu/portfolio_page/fadlo-khuri/ |access-date=2025-02-13 |language=en-US}} Another notable study highlights the overexpression of Cyclooxygenase-2 as a marker of poor prognosis in early-stage non-small cell lung cancer. His clinical cancer research also includes a Phase I study on the farnesyltransferase inhibitor lonafarnib in combination with paclitaxel for solid tumors.{{Cite web |date=2025-02-13 |title=Fadlo Khuri {{!}} Wilson Center |url=https://www.wilsoncenter.org/person/fadlo-khuri |access-date=2025-02-13 |website=www.wilsoncenter.org |language=en}}
He is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (2014), the Royal College of Physicians (2017), and a full member and vice president of the Lebanese Academy of Sciences (since 2015).
Presidency at AUB
Khuri was AUB's president during one of Lebanon’s most severe economic crises,{{Cite web |title=In Lebanon, a University Becomes a Frontline Responder |url=https://www.chronicle.com/newsletter/latitudes/2025-01-08 |access-date=2025-01-29 |website=The Chronicle of Higher Education |language=en}} the 2020 Beirut explosion, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Under Khuri’s presidency, AUB has strengthened its global reputation as a mission-driven university, establishing partnerships with leading foundations and institutions worldwide. Key milestones of his tenure include:
- Fundraising and Financial Initiatives: Spearheaded the successful BOLDLY AUB campaign, raising over $805 million for university priorities, including the largest single gift in AUB’s history.{{Cite web |date=2018-10-25 |title=Knowledge for All - The Business Year |url=https://thebusinessyear.com/interview/knowledge-for-all/?srsltid=AfmBOop2FzTCQj5rzERYTfQZNlI_IC0VhhG3iHAPib_da3nQPZ4yKUdV |access-date=2025-02-20 |language=en-US}}
- Educational and Structural Reforms: Reintroduced academic tenure (2018), established an independent nursing school (2018), and launched AUB Online and the twin campus AUB Mediterraneo in Pafos, Cyprus.{{Cite web |date=2024-08-28 |title=AUB Mediterraneo to inaugurate new Paphos campus on September 4 |url=https://cyprus-mail.com/2024/08/28/aub-mediterraneo-to-inaugurate-new-paphos-campus-on-september-4 |access-date=2025-02-20 |website=cyprus-mail.com |language=en}}
- Health and Community Initiatives: Implemented a tobacco-free policy (2018), co-led a national COVID-19 vaccination campaign, and facilitated medical and educational support for Syrian refugees.{{Cite web |title=Johns Hopkins/MDM/ IMC/AUB - Syrian refugee and Affected Host Population Health Access Survey in Lebanon ( LHAS) -July 2015 |url=https://data.unhcr.org/en/documents/details/44869 |access-date=2025-02-20 |website=UNHCR Operational Data Portal (ODP) |language=en}}
Under his leadership, AUB also secured the Keserwan Medical Center in Jounieh,{{Cite web |title=AUB TO ACQUIRE KESERWAN MEDICAL CENTER |url=https://economics.creditlibanais.com/Article/211785#en |access-date=2025-02-20 |website=economics.creditlibanais.com |language=en}} Lebanon, marking the university's expansion into community healthcare.
= Global Rankings and Recognition =
AUB’s global standing has significantly improved during Khuri’s tenure. The university rose from 801 (2015) to 381 (2024) in the U.S. News & World Report Best Global Universities and from 501 (2016) to 250 (2025) in the QS World University Rankings.{{Cite web |title=American University of Beirut (AUB) |url=https://www.topuniversities.com/universities/american-university-beirut-aub |access-date=2025-02-20 |website=Top Universities |language=en}}