Prisma Health announces Julian Kim, MD, as new Cancer Institute president

March 31, 2023

Julian Kim, MD, has been appointed president of the Prisma Health Cancer Institute. In this role, he will oversee the health care system’s comprehensive cancer program which is the largest in the state with 11 cancer clinic sites across South Carolina. The Institute is a regional leader in cancer research with more than 300 active clinical trials and treats approximately 8,000 cancer patients annually.

Kim, a board-certified surgical oncologist, joined Prisma Health in 2018 as the senior medical director of Oncology Services in the Midlands. Most recently he also has served as chair of the department of surgery at Prisma Health Richland Hospital. He has spent his entire career working in National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers. His previous positions include practicing at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, and serving as the inaugural chief medical officer of the University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Hospital, also in Cleveland.

Dr. Kim said, “It is an honor to step into this new role to help build upon the remarkable work of our Cancer Institute team of researchers and clinicians whose dedication to our patients and cancer medicine have led our expansive program to become the largest in the state. Our priorities are driven by an intense focus on patient-centered care, access to the most advanced treatment options, minimally invasive surgery, and innovation which encompasses clinical trials and research.”

Prisma Health Executive Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer Jonathan Gleason, MD, said, “Dr. Kim brings decades of experience to Prisma Health as a renowned physician, scientist and clinical leader in the cancer community. He has been on the forefront of cutting-edge advancement for cancer research and treatment and is well-positioned to lead the growth and strategy of the Prisma Health Cancer Institute. I look forward to working with Dr. Kim as we continue to move the needle in the battle against cancer through increased access to high quality care, innovative research and clinical trials.”

Kim’s leadership coincides with recent grant funding and initiatives which have positioned the Cancer Institute for a new phase of growth including the expansion of research and clinical programs in both the Upstate and the Midlands. In 2019 an $8.2 million National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant accelerated the expansion of Institute programs and groundbreaking research into the Midlands region of South Carolina with a focus on increasing access to advanced and innovative treatments and clinical trials. Kim said, “The future of medicine is to bring care closer to patients. Our goal is to help patients have access to even more advanced treatments while staying closer to home.”

Since 1995, the Prisma Health Cancer Institute has received more than $30 million in research grants from the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The Institute’s clinical services include surgical oncology and robotic surgery, bone marrow transplant and cellular therapy, gynecologic, medical, and radiation oncology, integrative oncology and survivorship, and pediatric oncology.