The Cancer Research Institute (CRI) mourns the loss of Malcolm A.S. Moore, DPhil, who passed on September 23, 2025, in New York City at the age of 81.
Dr. Moore was a pioneer in cell biology, his career marked by significant contributions that not only advanced the field but also laid the groundwork for the development of groundbreaking therapeutics. One such discovery was isolating granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), a protein that stimulates the production of new blood cells, which was deemed a “Major Cancer Milestone” by the American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO). The discovery led to the development of filgrastim, a drug that treats low white blood cell counts — a common side effect of chemotherapy. Today, the drug has helped bolster the immune systems of more than three million people worldwide.
Dr. Moore was born in 1944 in Edinburgh, Scotland, and received his doctorate from the University of Oxford in 1967. He went on to serve as a Queen Elizabeth II Visiting Fellow, then as the Head of the Laboratory of Developmental Biology at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research in Melbourne, Australia, before joining Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in the 1970s. There, Dr. Moore served as the Enid A. Haupt Chair of Cell Biology starting in 1989.
Dr. Moore’s relationship with CRI sparked decades of transformational cancer research. He became a member of our Scientific Advisory Council in 1988, playing a vital role in shaping CRI’s scientific direction during a time when immunotherapy was still in its infancy. His expertise has inspired generations of researchers and helped cement CRI’s leadership in the field.
By 1991, Dr. Moore had deepened his commitment to CRI by joining the Fellowship Committee, helping to identify and support young scientists dedicated to advancing cancer research. Many of these scientists have gone on to make discoveries that continue to propel the field forward – a living testament to Dr. Moore’s enduring legacy.
In 1995, CRI honored Dr. Moore with the William B. Coley Award for Basic and Tumor Immunology, alongside esteemed colleagues Timothy A. Springer, PhD, and Ferdy J. Lejeune, MD, PhD. The Coley Award was just one of many honors given to Dr. Moore throughout his monumental career, including a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Cancer Research and Treatment Fund and the C. Chester Stock Award Lectureship from Memorial Sloan Kettering.
Dr. Moore’s legacy lives on in the breakthroughs his work made possible, the scientists he mentored, and the countless lives touched by the therapies his vision helped inspire. The CRI community is profoundly grateful for Dr. Moore’s decades of dedication, insight, and humanity. We extend our deepest sympathies to his family, friends, and colleagues.
