NEW YORK -- The Cornell University Board of Trustees has appointed Dr. Antonio M. Gotto Jr. to a new five-year term as the Stephen and Suzanne Weiss Dean of Weill Cornell Medical College and provost of medical affairs of Cornell.

The term extension recognizes Gotto's nearly 10 years of exemplary service in support of the medical college's tripartite mission of education, research and patient care.

A renowned educator and internationally recognized authority in cardiovascular disease, Gotto was first named dean of Weill Cornell in 1997. Under his leadership, the medical college has experienced a renaissance of growth, with highlights that include the naming of the college in recognition of longtime benefactors Joan and Sanford I. Weill; the globalization of the medical college's mission with the establishment of Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar and affiliation with the Methodist Hospital in Houston; philanthropic support in excess of $1 billion; construction of the new $230 million Ambulatory Care and Medical Education Building, the first clinical building in the college's 108-year history; unprecedented recruitment of new faculty and expansion and renovation of research space and facilities; and establishment of numerous research and education programs and initiatives.

"I am honored to report that Dean Gotto has accepted our invitation to continue on as dean of Weill Cornell Medical College. With characteristic energy, integrity and vision, he has strengthened the education and financial health of Weill Cornell, helping to revitalize the medical school's curriculum, expand and improve facilities, and enhance patient care," said Peter Meinig, chairman of Cornell's Board of Trustees. "And, in achieving these goals, he has forged partnerships and expanded the scope of the medical college locally, nationally and internationally."

"An accomplished biomedical researcher in his own right, Tony Gotto has put a premium on translating research discoveries into techniques and treatments that improve clinical care," said Hunter R. Rawlings, interim president of Cornell.

"Under the leadership of Tony Gotto, the financial health of the medical college has never been better. In February, we completed a $750 million capital campaign ahead of schedule, helping fulfill the college's long-term plan to improve the quality and accessibility of patient care, and to remain a global leader in the prevention and treatment of illness," said Sanford I. Weill, chairman of the Board of Overseers of Weill Cornell.

"I am excited and honored to accept the board's invitation to continue on as dean of this medical college," said Gotto. "Together with our esteemed faculty, staff, alumni and friends, I fully expect that Weill Cornell will continue to make significant contributions to medical research, education and practice. I look forward to working closely with the leadership of Cornell University, including its new president, Dr. David J. Skorton."