Dr. Cheryl Willman

Executive Director, Mayo Clinic Cancer Programs ; Director of Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center, Mayo Clinic

Cheryl Willman, M.D., an internationally renowned physician scientist and cancer center leader, directs the Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center and cancer programs in Minnesota, Arizona and Florida, as well as London and Abu Dhabi. Dr. Willman is a pioneer in the field of cancer individualized medicine with a track record of innovation and successful translation of discoveries to clinical trials. She has co-led several key National Cancer Institute (NCI) initiatives that are improving the lives of patients with cancer and addressing disparities in cancer care as well as cancer incidence and mortality among diverse and underserved populations. Dr. Willman has been continuously funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the NCI, and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society for more than 35 years. She is a highly cited physician-scientist who has published 250+ papers and holds 11 patents or patents pending. Dr. Willman received her degree at Mayo Medical School, which included a medical student fellowship in immunology at the NIH. She completed her residency and postdoctoral training in pathology and cancer research at Mayo Clinic, University of New Mexico and University of Washington.