Renowned Cancer Researcher Dr. Jill Bargonetti Named McNulty Chair at Hunter College

The chair recognizes a distinguished scientist whose career exemplifies excellence in research, teaching, scholarship, innovation, mentorship, and leadership, while also advancing opportunities for women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

“Jill epitomizes our highest aspirations for the McNulty Chair,” said Hunter President Nancy Cantor. “She is a quintessential researcher, teacher, mentor, and organizer who brings incredible breadth of interests and insight to her groundbreaking cancer research, breathtaking creativity to her teaching—including the integration of dance!—profound empathy for the students she mentors, and a sophisticated, asset-based approach to the programming she has created to cultivate diverse new generations of scientists who bring their full selves to the table. We could not be more delighted to appoint her to this chair and we could not be more grateful to the McNulty family for their visionary support that makes this possible.”

As a named professorship, the McNulty Chair represents the highest academic honor Hunter College can bestow upon a faculty member. It is also the first chair at Hunter dedicated to recognizing outstanding leaders in science. The appointment reflects Dr. Bargonetti’s decades of groundbreaking contributions to cancer research, her extraordinary commitment to educating and mentoring the next generation of scientists, and her advocacy for women and other underrepresented groups in STEM.

Established in 2023 through a partnership among the McNulty Foundation, Hunter College, and The City University of New York, the Anne Welsh McNulty Chair honors the legacy of Anne Welsh McNulty, a champion of women’s leadership and education. The chair recognizes scientists whose influence extends beyond the laboratory through entrepreneurial activity, collaborative partnerships, and a sustained record of supporting future leaders in the sciences.

“Dr. Bargonetti has distinguished herself through her storied teaching, scholarship, and leadership—and is uniquely positioned to expand opportunities for women pursuing and succeeding in STEM," said McNulty Foundation President Anne Welsh McNulty.

“We are proud to honor her commitment to using knowledge for the collective good through her research career, and her gift for inspiring the next generation of scientists and leaders at Hunter College and beyond.”

Dr. Bargonetti, an alumna of the Hunter College Elementary School, the Hesselbach Professor of Biological Sciences and recently named a CUNY Distinguished Professor, has devoted her career to understanding the molecular mechanisms that drive cancer development and progression.

“I am deeply honored to be appointed as the McNulty Chair of Science Innovation and Leadership. In this role, I will collaborate across Hunter College’s departments to empower faculty and students. My focus will be on driving creative innovation and increasing opportunities for the extraordinary women at Hunter who are poised to be the next generation of leaders in the sciences.”

Since joining Hunter College in 1994, she has led the Bargonetti Lab, where she and her research team investigate the biology of breast cancer, particularly aggressive forms such as triple-negative breast cancer. Her pioneering work has helped illuminate how mutations in the tumor suppressor protein p53 contribute to cancer growth, survival, and metastasis, providing important insights that may lead to more effective treatments.

Over more than three decades, Dr. Bargonetti has built an internationally recognized research program. Her findings have been published in leading scientific journals including Cell, Nature, Genes & Development, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, and Cancer Research. Her work has attracted significant support from the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, METAvivor, the American Cancer Society, and the U.S. Department of Defense.

In recent years, her research has focused on identifying biomarkers and molecular pathways that could make difficult-to-treat breast cancers more susceptible to targeted therapies. The work has advanced scientific understanding of DNA repair, cancer-cell survival, and metastasis, helping to open new avenues for treatment.

Just as significant as her research accomplishments is Dr. Bargonetti’s commitment to students. Throughout her career, she has championed research opportunities for undergraduate, graduate, and postbaccalaureate scholars, especially those from groups historically underrepresented in the sciences. She serves as director of the National Science Foundation-funded New York Research and Mentoring for Post-Baccalaureates program and has guided countless students toward advanced degrees and careers in science and medicine.

Her dedication to broadening participation in STEM has earned national recognition. Dr. Bargonetti was honored with the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government on early career scientists and engineers. She has also received the New York City Mayor’s Award for Excellence in Science and Technology, the Outstanding Woman Scientist Award from the Association for Women in Science, and numerous other accolades recognizing both her scientific achievements and educational leadership.

Beyond the laboratory and classroom, Dr. Bargonetti has distinguished herself as an innovative educator. A former professional dancer, she developed creative approaches to teaching biology, including “Choreographing Genomics,” a course that uses movement and dance to help students understand the flow of genetic information. Her interdisciplinary work reflects a broader commitment to expanding who sees themselves as scientists and making scientific concepts accessible to diverse learners.

The appointment to the Anne Welsh McNulty Chair comes at a moment of growing recognition for Dr. Bargonetti’s impact on science and higher education. Earlier this year, she was named a CUNY Distinguished Professor, one of the university’s highest academic honors, recognizing her scholarly achievements and international standing in cancer biology.

Anne Welsh McNulty created the McNulty Chair for Science, Innovation & Leadership in 2024 to recognize a professor with a storied research and teaching career, who will also inspire the next generation of scientists and leaders. The chair builds on the impact of the McNulty Scholars Program, which trains and supports undergraduate women to lead in STEM fields. Many have gone on to publish scientific papers, pursue MDs, PhDs, and MD-PhDs, and build careers in STEM. The Chair also provides a vision for Women in Science at Hunter (WiSH), an initiative to support Hunter College’s extraordinary women STEM faculty in their research and careers.

The McNulty Chair will collaborate and develop strong relationships with a broad constituency of stakeholders, within and outside of Hunter College, including the WiSH Program, McNulty Scholars Program, and Hunter’s STEM faculty. The chair will also inspire other public institutions nationwide by developing programs that foster excellence and inclusion in STEM.

Dr. Bargonetti is the second holder of the chair; the first was Dr. Mandë Holford, a pioneering marine biochemist.

About Hunter College

Hunter College, located in the heart of Manhattan, is the largest college in the City University of New York (CUNY) system. Founded in 1870, it is also one of the oldest public colleges in the country and famous a student body that is as diverse as the city itself. Most Hunter students are the first in their families to attend college and many go on to top professional and graduate programs, winning Fulbright scholarships, Mellon fellowships, National Institutes of Health grants, and other competitive honors. More than 23,000 students currently attend Hunter, pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees in more than 170 areas of study. The 1,700 full- and part-time members of Hunter's faculty are unparalleled. They receive prestigious national grants, contribute to the world's leading academic journals, and play major roles in cutting-edge research. They are fighting cancer, formulating public policy, expanding our culture, enhancing technology, and more. Learn more at www.hunter.cuny.edu

About the John P. & Anne Welsh McNulty Foundation:

The McNulty Foundation inspires, develops, and drives leaders to solve the critical challenges of their time. Created in 2008 by Anne Welsh McNulty in honor of her late husband, the John P. McNulty Prize is awarded in partnership with the Aspen Institute and has now recognized over 60 visionary leaders for their courage and lasting impact. The McNulty Prize strategically invests at the critical point between proof of concept and global scale, where few other supporters operate, to position leaders and mid-stage ventures for greater impact. Winners are selected by a distinguished international jury that has included Madeleine Albright, John Palfrey, Darren Walker, Cheryl Dorsey, Mary Robinson, and Sir Richard Branson, among others. Learn more at mcnultyfound.org