Dr. Gerald P. Bodey was born in Hazelton, Pennsylvania on May 22, 1934. He attended Lafayette College where he graduated magna cum laude in 1956. After completing his medical education at Johns Hopkins University, Dr. Bodey spent three years at the National Cancer Institute. An interest in acute leukemia led to his joining the faculty of the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in 1966 where he collaborated with Dr. Emil Freireich in establishing adult acute leukemia service. In 1975, he became a professor of medicine and served as chief of the Cancer Chemotherapy Branch in the Department of Developmental Therapeutics. Later, he founded the Section of Infectious Diseases and was appointed the first director of the Office of Protocol Research. In 1987, Dr. Bodey was named chairman of the Department of Medical Specialties, a post he held until he retired in 1995.
Dr. Bodey is an internationally recognized figure in leukemia research, having lectured professionally in numerous countries. In addition, he has authored or co-authored more than 1,000 publications and has been recognized twice by the Institute for Scientific Information as one of the 300 most cited authors in scientific literature. In 2004, Dr. Bodey was recognized by the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center with a lectureship in his honor for his many years of service in fighting infections in neutropenic patients. Dr. Bodey currently resides in The Woodlands, TX where he retains the title Emeritus Professor in the Department of Medicine in the Section of Infectious Diseases at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.
From the guide to the Gerald P. Bodey, M. D. Oral History Interview 1 Bodey_Gerald_20030303., March 3, 2003, (Historical Resources Center, Research Medical Library, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center)
