Dr. Paul K. Paik

Dr. Paul K. Paik is Clinical Director of the Thoracic Oncology Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, where he orchestrates an interdisciplinary program dedicated to lung and other thoracic malignancies. Medical oncologists, thoracic surgeons, radiation oncologists, pulmonologists, pathologists, genetics counselors, pharmacists, social workers, and survivorship specialists convene in daily planning huddles that review imaging, molecular profiles, and patient-reported symptoms before the first clinic visit begins. A unified electronic record updated in real time permits every team member to see treatment timelines, laboratory trends, and supportive-care needs, reducing delays and preventing conflicting recommendations. Multilingual educators meet families on arrival, clarifying terminology and outlining financial resources so decisions unfold in plain language and with transparent cost expectations. Telehealth follow-ups, remote symptom monitoring, and streamlined scheduling reduce travel burdens and strengthen continuity, particularly for individuals who work or care for children. By pairing molecular precision with accessible communication and logistical support, Dr. Paik provides each patient with a clear, coordinated roadmap from diagnosis through follow-up, reinforcing confidence that care decisions are grounded in collective expertise.

 

Dr. Paik’s laboratory and clinic operate side by side, driving biomarker-guided trials that have reshaped treatment for non-small cell lung cancers harboring MET exon 14 skipping mutations or MET amplification. His team integrates genomic, transcriptomic, and circulating-tumor-DNA data to craft predictive signatures of response and resistance, then embeds those signatures into investigator-initiated studies that combine selective MET inhibitors with immunotherapy or anti-angiogenic backbones. A flagship protocol at Memorial Sloan Kettering evaluates tepotinib with or without ramucirumab, while parallel correlative projects map serial liquid-biopsy results against radiographic change to refine early stopping or escalation strategies. Complementary work with capmatinib explores intracranial efficacy and mechanisms of escape, supplying tissue and plasma to a living biobank that supports rapid bench testing of next-line combinations. Findings are shared with community partners via open-access dashboards to speed adoption beyond academic centers. This seamless bench-to-bedside cycle means patients gain access to therapies tailored to the evolving biology of their tumors, improving the likelihood of durable control and minimizing unnecessary toxicity.

 

Innovation for Dr. Paik extends into education and outreach that translate complex science into actionable guidance for clinicians, patients, and policy makers. He mentors fellows on ethical trial design, biomarker interpretation, and empathetic consultation skills, ensuring that the next generation values both analytic rigor and human connection. International conference lectures, podcast interviews, and OncLive commentaries distill emerging data on resistance mutations, targeted-therapy sequencing, and immunotherapy management into clear take-home messages. Partnerships with advocacy organizations produce bilingual toolkits that explain the importance of molecular testing and outline pathways to financial assistance, while hospital-supported tele-town-halls invite real-time questions from global audiences. Data-science trainees rotate through his program to apply artificial-intelligence methods to radiomic and genomic datasets, fostering novel insights that circle back into trial hypotheses. Through these efforts he builds a feedback loop in which discovery, education, and community engagement reinforce one another, assuring patients that the information guiding their treatment is current, transparent, and widely shared.