University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. Director's Office.

Ernst William Bertner was born in Colorado City, Texas in 1889 to a German immigrant family. While studying to be a pharmacist at the University of Texas School of Pharmacy, he decided to study medicine instead. He received his medical degree from the University of Texas Medical Branch in 1911. In 1942, the University of Texas Board of Regents appointed Bertner acting director of the newly founded M. D. Anderson Hospital for Cancer Research. From served in the part-time, temporary position until 1946 when Board of Regents named Dr. R. Lee Clark as the first full time director.

Dr. Bertner also served as the first president of the Texas Medical Center. He died of cancer in Houston on July 18, 1950.

Dr. R. Lee Clark, first full-time director (1946-1968) and president (1968-1978) of M. D. Anderson, was born in Hereford, Texas, in 1906. He obtained a B.S. degree from the University of South Carolina in 1927 and an M.D. degree from the Medical College of Virginia in 1932. He served his medical internship at Garfield Memorial Hospital, Washington, D.C., from 1932-33 and did postgraduate study at the University of Paris Graduate School of Medicine from 1933-1935. He was certified in 1942 by the American Board of Surgery.

From 1933-1942, he worked in association with the American Hospital in Paris, France, the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research in Rochester, Minnesota, and the Shands Clinic in Jackson, Mississippi. During World War II, Dr. Clark was the Director of Surgical Research with the U.S. Air Force Medical Corps. At war’s end, he accepted the position of Director and Surgeon-in-Chief at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center and was appointed by the U.T. Board of Regents to the post in 1946. He spent the rest of his medical career at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. In 1968, he became the institution’s first president, a position he held until he retired in 1978.

During his time as director at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, the institution grew from a small cancer clinic in a former private residence to an organization with seventeen medical specialties and 418 full-time employees. Over the course of four years, starting in 1950, Dr. Clark oversaw the design and construction of a new hospital building, which opened in the Texas Medical Center in 1954. As director, he was responsible for administering the institution, which involved supervising overall daily operation, budget control, and the activities of the business office, personnel office, and the physical plant. The Associate Directors for Research, Clinical Research, and Education, and the Chief of the Medical Staff, all worked under Dr. Clark. He, in turn, worked closely with The University of Texas Cancer Foundation and the Chancellor of The University of Texas Board of Regents. During Dr. Clark’s time as director, hospital staff pioneered the use of special equipment, including the whole body scanner, computerized tomography, diagnostic ultrasound, megavoltage electron beam, and the variable energy cyclotron, to name a few, in the quest to eradicate cancer.

Ernst William Bertner was born in Colorado City, Texas in 1889 to a German immigrant family. While studying to be a pharmacist at the University of Texas School of Pharmacy, he decided to study medicine instead. He received his medical degree from the University of Texas Medical Branch in 1911. In 1942, the University of Texas Board of Regents appointed Bertner acting director of the newly founded M. D. Anderson Hospital for Cancer Research. From served in the part-time, temporary position until 1946 when Board of Regents named Dr. R. Lee Clark as the first full time director.

Dr. Bertner also served as the first president of the Texas Medical Center. He died of cancer in Houston on July 18, 1950.

Dr. R. Lee Clark, first full-time director (1946-1968) and president (1968-1978) of M. D. Anderson, was born in Hereford, Texas, in 1906. He obtained a B.S. degree from the University of South Carolina in 1927 and an M.D. degree from the Medical College of Virginia in 1932. He served his medical internship at Garfield Memorial Hospital, Washington, D.C., from 1932-33 and did postgraduate study at the University of Paris Graduate School of Medicine from 1933-1935. He was certified in 1942 by the American Board of Surgery.

From 1933-1942, he worked in association with the American Hospital in Paris, France, the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research in Rochester, Minnesota, and the Shands Clinic in Jackson, Mississippi. During World War II, Dr. Clark was the Director of Surgical Research with the U.S. Air Force Medical Corps. At war’s end, he accepted the position of Director and Surgeon-in-Chief at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center and was appointed by the U.T. Board of Regents to the post in 1946. He spent the rest of his medical career at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. In 1968, he became the institution’s first president, a position he held until he retired in 1978.

During his time as director at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, the institution grew from a small cancer clinic in a former private residence to an organization with seventeen medical specialties and 418 full-time employees. Over the course of four years, starting in 1950, Dr. Clark oversaw the design and construction of a new hospital building, which opened in the Texas Medical Center in 1954. As director, he was responsible for administering the institution, which involved supervising overall daily operation, budget control, and the activities of the business office, personnel office, and the physical plant. The Associate Directors for Research, Clinical Research, and Education, and the Chief of the Medical Staff, all worked under Dr. Clark. He, in turn, worked closely with The University of Texas Cancer Foundation and the Chancellor of The University of Texas Board of Regents. During Dr. Clark’s time as director, hospital staff pioneered the use of special equipment, including the whole body scanner, computerized tomography, diagnostic ultrasound, megavoltage electron beam, and the variable energy cyclotron, to name a few, in the quest to eradicate cancer.