Stephen D. Nimer, M.D., Named Mentor of the Year by the American Society of Hematology
Dr. Nimer’s commitment to mentorship and excellence infuses the culture at Sylvester.
Stephen D. Nimer, M.D., director of Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, is known for lifting up and guiding other researchers to create a collaborative environment that drives scientific discovery and quality patient care.
Dr. Nimer was recently recognized for these qualities by the American Society of Hematology (ASH), which awarded him its Mentor Award for 2024. He is one of two individuals receiving the award this year from the society with more than 18,000 members.
“This is a tremendous achievement,” said Mikkael Sekeres, M.D., M.S., chief of the Division of Hematology at Sylvester. “It really reflects the culture that Stephen has established here at Sylvester of empathic mentorship.”
“Like most of us, I don’t seek any external recognition for what I do, except from my patients,” said Dr. Nimer, who is also the executive dean for research and a professor of medicine, biochemistry and molecular biology at the Miller School. “Thus, I was not expecting this award, but it’s still thrilling to be acknowledged for the mentoring I’ve done and the people I’ve helped train.”
The society recognized Sylvester’s director for his impact on more than 100 hematology trainees who have gone on to have thriving careers. Dr. Nimer serves as a role model and “instills in them the importance of thinking critically and embracing challenges,” ASH said in a statement.
ASH called his mentorship “tailored, encouraging and community-focused.”
Skate to Where the Puck Is Going To Be
Dr. Nimer’s mentorship is felt at multiple levels throughout Sylvester and beyond. He mentors students, fellows and junior faculty in his research lab, which studies hematologic malignancies. He participates in a formal mentorship program for new faculty at Sylvester. And he is a more informal mentor to the many junior researchers who have worked with him over the years, many of whom still seek his advice.
When he first came to Sylvester in 2020, Justin Taylor, M.D., was paired with Dr. Nimer through the mentorship program. Both researchers juggle laboratory work with seeing patients. And as a new faculty member, Dr. Taylor had a lot of ambition and “a head full of steam,” he said, describing himself.
Dr. Taylor was counseled to slow down and not stretch himself too thin, and not seek leadership roles too early. Dr. Taylor instead first built a foundation of research in his field, publishing a key paper in Science and securing major grant funding from the National Institutes of Health.
Dr. Nimer’s advice often comes in the form of pithy quotes that stick. One quote he shares with mentees is from the great former hockey player, Wayne Gretzky: “Skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it is.” He played ice hockey in college and has a poster of Wayne Gretzky and his famous quote on his wall.
“He always has a good story or analogy, so his advice sticks in your brain,” said Dr. Taylor. “He will tell you the truth, the good and the bad. I still feel I can go to him with anything.”
Stick With What You Are Good At
As Dr. Sekeres took on greater leadership responsibilities at Sylvester, he initially thought he would have to shed some of his research program. But Dr. Nimer advised him to stick with it and “never give up what you’re good at, at what you got you to this point in time,” recalled Dr. Sekeres.
Dr. Sekeres took that advice to heart, managing his time by mentoring junior colleagues who took on more direct research roles.
“Stephen has this natural ability to see through the chaff to the wheat, and to give advice that’s germane not only to a problem at hand, but to life and to how you approach problem solving,” said Dr. Sekeres.
Layers of Mentorship
His love of teaching influences Dr. Nimer’s dedication to mentorship. His father was an economist who taught night school. His own mentors, like Janet Rowley, David Golde and Richard Champlin, also showed him how medicine is like a series of apprenticeships, where people with more experience train junior physician-researchers at each step of the way.
Dr. Nimer likes to help his mentees figure out their goals, and then support them by finding the right resources and people to help them meet those goals, he said.
His positive style affects how other Sylvester researchers interact with each other — and has affected their own mentorship styles, said Drs. Taylor and Sekeres. His influence has helped create a supportive culture at Sylvester and recruit top talent, they said.
Since joining Sylvester as its director in 2012, Dr. Nimer has overseen substantial growth of the institution and its recognition by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) as an NCI-designated cancer center. The NCI renewed Sylvester’s designated status this year, giving Dr. Nimer an exceptional rating as Sylvester’s director, the top score.
“He mentors the way he runs the cancer center. He goes full steam ahead and gives of himself. He wants to make sure that the mentee is successful,” said Craig Moskowitz, M.D., Sylvester’s physician-in-chief.
“He’s incredibly supportive and very goal oriented, and wants to make sure that there’s a plan that can be acted upon,” added Dr. Moskowitz.
Foundations like the Myelodysplastic Syndromes Foundation, where Dr. Nimer serves as director, also benefit from his mentorship.
Bringing People Together
A network of Dr. Nimer’s mentees reaches back decades and extends across different institutions, including Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer, where he previously held several leadership roles. Both Dr. Moskowitz and Maria “Ken” Figueroa, M.D., Sylvester’s associate director for translational research, knew him there.
When Dr. Figueroa was looking for a new faculty position, Dr. Nimer was one of the first people she called.
“He has been an amazing mentor in this new phase of my career, helping me and others grow as a scientist and a leader,” said Dr. Figueroa.
When he walks down the halls at scientific meetings, Dr. Nimer typically runs into several people he has long known or mentored previously and catches up with them. At the annual ASH meetings, he convenes a breakfast of former mentees who swap stories and advice. The event usually brings in a different milieu each year, creating a warm and familiar atmosphere.
“It’s one of the greatest pleasures for me at ASH,” he said, reflecting on the connections and shared experiences that continue to enrich his professional journey.
Tags: American Society of Hematology, ASH 2024, Dr. Stephen Nimer, mentoring, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center