Dr. Laurence Baker graduated from Brooklyn College in New York City in 1962 and received his osteopathy degree from the University of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1966. He completed his oncology fellowship at Wayne State University in Detroit, then joined the faculty there in 1972. He was director of the Division of Hematology and Oncology from 1982-1992. In 1994, Dr. Baker joined the University of Michigan where he served as professor of medicine and associate chief of the Division of Hematology/Oncology in the Department of Internal Medicine, where he continues to be a member of the staff today. He also served as deputy director and director for clinical research for the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. Baker has been instrumental in creating a cancer clinical trials research infrastructure, recruiting new faculty and improving cancer clinical trials research to the point that the national medical community recognizes the UM cancer clinical research group as one of the premier in the country.
Dr. Baker’s leadership of two major organizations also has had a tremendous impact. In 2005, under Dr. Baker’s direction, the Southwest Oncology Group moved its organizational headquarters to the University of Michigan. SWOG’s large network includes more than 5,000 physicians at 550 U.S. medical institutions. SWOG has been very influential in the advancement of state-of-the-art cancer care. More than 150,000 patients have participated in its clinical trials and the conclusions of these trials have resulted in the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of 10 new cancer therapies in the past decade.
Dr. Baker in collaboration with other oncologists, all members of the Connective Tissue Oncology Society, recognized the need for international collaboration to advance the study of sarcomas and related cancers. He took initiative and assisted in the development of SARC Under his leadership, SARC has grown tremendously, with a lengthening list of participating institutions and physicians, as well as major organizations working with SARC to collaborate on additional clinical research trials.
In addition, Dr. Baker was a founding member of the Connective Tissue Oncology Society, an international organization of clinicians and scientists with an interest in this disease. Baker is one of the founding members of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network as well, a national organization of 20 leading cancer centers whose mission is to improve the quality and effectiveness of cancer care in the United States. NCCN now defines the standard of care for the cancer community.
Lastly, Dr. Baker has authored nearly 200 publications, 47 books or book chapters and 127 abstracts.