Richard T. Silver, MD, an esteemed, pioneering physician-researcher whose career with Weill Cornell spanned 8 decades, died on April 17, 2026. He was 97 years old. Dr. Silver was Professor Emeritus of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine (WCM), past Attending Physician, The New York Presbyterian Hospital, and Director Emeritus of the Richard T. Silver, MD Myeloproliferative Neoplasms (MPNs) Center, WCM, established by his patients. He was a principal investigator and vice (and acting) chairman for years of a large, National Cancer Institute sponsored cooperative cancer chemotherapy group. He was especially known for introducing interferon for treating MPNs. Because of his research in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), he was selected as an initial investigator in the first trials of imatinib for treating CML.

He also developed and popularized the use of the bone marrow biopsy technique now used worldwide for diagnosing hematologic disorders, publishing a landmark textbook in 1970, The Morphology of the Blood and Marrow in Clinical Practice. 

He trained in internal medicine, hematology and oncology at Cornell-NYPH and the National Cancer Institute. He helped establish a residency training program at the University of Bahia, Salvador, Brazil as a Visiting Fulbright Professor. In Brazil, he journeyed to the Mato Grosso studying blood groups of an indigenous community of the Upper Xingu River, and published results. This led to his election as a Fellow of the Explorers Club, where he held numerous committee positions, including membership on the Board of Directors.

In 1968, he founded the Cancer Research & Treatment Fund (CR&T), emphasizing innovative blood cancer research, believing it would lead to breakthroughs and better understanding of the biology and treatment of all forms of cancer.  Since then, CR&T has awarded more than $17 million in grants.

He mentored residents and fellows with great enthusiasm; many established successful careers as investigators and practitioners.

Active into his 90s, Dr. Silver wrote or co-authored 332 peer-reviewed papers, 4 books, 46 book chapters, and countless abstracts for national and international meetings. He held 12 distinguished visiting professorships. He convened and co-chaired 16 International Congresses on the Myeloproliferative Neoplasms. He was awarded many national and international honors. In addition to the Silver MPN Center, the Richard T. Silver Distinguished Professor of Hematology and Medical Oncology and the Richard T. Silver Visiting Professor were named in recognition of his contributions at WCM. He received a Lifetime Academic Achievement – Dedication and Service Award from the Dean of WCM and a Special Achievement Award from its Alumni Association. He served as Life Member, Cornell University Council and was a past president and Senior Advisor of the Weill Medicine Alumni Association.

He was an accomplished clarinetist. He and his wife endowed the Barbara and Richard T. Silver ’50, MD ’53 Associate Professorship in the Department of Music, Cornell University, and the Barbara and Richard T. Silver ’50, MD ’53 Wind Symphony. 

He is survived by his beloved wife of more than 60 years, Barbara, son Adam, granddaughters Stella and Isla, nephews Tom and Jack, niece Nancy Schlossberg, and numerous family members. His brother Norman predeceased him.

Memorial contributions may be made to Cancer Research & Treatment Fund at https://www.crt.org/donate/