Dr. David S. Rosenthal '59, the director of University Health Services (UHS), was named president of the American Cancer Society in a ceremony in Los Angeles on Sunday.

Rosenthal, who is Oliver professor of hygiene, will continue in his post at UHS during his term, which began Monday. He has long been an active member of the cancer society since receiving a research grant from the Massachusetts chapter in the early '70s.

Rosenthal, who was still in Los Angeles last night, said he is looking forward to a busy year.

"It fits in nicely with what we're doing at UHS," he said in an interview. "A lot of work we do in the University and the College is preventative [medicine], and that is what is going to make the best headway in reducing cancer incidents and cancer mortality."

Rosenthal said the president acts as a spokesperson for the society on national and international issues. During his term, Rosenthal said, he hopes to focus his efforts on national tobacco policy and, particularly, any settlements between Congress and the tobacco industry.

"[The society] will be very much involved in working toward a settlement and making it the right settlement," Rosenthal said. "We want to make sure we get the best public-health settlement."

Rosenthal said he will also continue the society's ongoing efforts to place more emphasis on all areas of medical research.

According to a society spokesperson, Jana Spacek, the election of officers moves in a six-year "rank alignment."

The president is first elected to serve a one-year term as vice-chair of medical affairs, followed by a year as chair of medical affairs. The president then serves a year each as vice-chair, chair and vice-president of the society as a whole before serving a one-year term as president.

Rosenthal's involvement in the society has included working in the development of the society's "state-of-the-art" Cancer Information Service, according to a news release. He also served as president of the American Cancer Society's Massachusetts Division.

Rosenthal succeeds Dr. Myles P. Cunningham '54, a Chicago surgeon, as president. Boston attorney Francis L. Coolidge '68 was elected chair-elect at this year's meeting.

Cunningham, the first graduate of Harvard College to serve as president of the society, said he could not be more pleased to hand off the job to the second.

"The American Cancer Society had the...most phenomenal year ever in terms of fundraising, impact on health policy and guidance of the American public," Cunningham said. "I could not turn it over to a more capable guy than David."

The American Cancer Society is "the nationwide community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer through research, education, advocacy, and service," according to a news release announcing Rosenthal's election.

According to Cunningham, cancer mortality has begun to decline significantly in the United States, and the longterm goal of the society is to help achieve a 50 percent reduction in deaths by 2015.

The duties of the post will not prevent Rosenthal from performing his duties at UHS. He said he will continue to see patients there and in fact return to work today. Rosenthal has discussed his appointment with President Neil L. Rudenstine and Provost Harvey V. Fineberg '67, and both were extremely supportive, he said.

Rosenthal has been UHS director since 1989 and, except for two years in the armed forces, has served as a professor at the Harvard Medical School and worked at the University's affiliated hospitals since 1967