Maura Gillison, who linked HPV to head and neck cancer, dies at 61
15 hours ago
- #medical oncology
- #head and neck cancer
- #HPV research
- Maura L. Gillison, MD, PhD, a pioneering medical oncologist and molecular epidemiologist, died at age 61 from small bowel cancer.
- Her research distinguished HPV-positive from HPV-negative head and neck cancers, fundamentally changing diagnosis, treatment, and prevention standards.
- She received top honors including the David A. Karnofsky Memorial Award and the VinFuture Grand Prize for her groundbreaking work.
- Gillison's seminal 2000 paper proved HPV's role in oropharyngeal cancer, leading to treatment de-escalation studies and HPV vaccine advocacy.
- She demonstrated the HPV vaccine's effectiveness in reducing oral HPV infections, supporting its 2020 approval for head and neck cancer prevention.
- Her career spanned institutions like Johns Hopkins, Ohio State University, and MD Anderson, where she co-led the HPV-Related Cancers Moon Shot.
- Colleagues remember her as a fearless, brilliant, and compassionate visionary who transformed head and neck oncology and inspired many.