The Department of Medical Oncology provides compassionate clinical care for patients with cancer; conducts transformative basic, translational, and clinical research; and provides leading education, training, and mentorship in cancer medicine.
Since its establishment in 1975, the defining feature of our department is the integration of outstanding cancer research and clinical oncology within the same department. We provide the infrastructure and the intellectual environment for basic scientists, clinical and translational investigators, and clinical oncologists to interact, collaborate, and pool their collective expertise to make significant advances in cancer care and research.
Integration of clinical care and research, with a personalized and multidisciplinary approach to oncology medicine
Basic research focused on blood and solid tumors, molecular and cellular oncology, and population sciences
The department coordinates hematology and oncology fellowships at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Dana-Farber, and Massachusetts General Hospital, and offers clerkships in hematology/oncology at Harvard Medical School.
At Dana-Farber, clinical care and research are fully integrated from bench to bedside – and back. Within the Medical Oncology department, our clinicians have a deep understanding of the genetics and biology of cancer and are engaged in groundbreaking clinical research. Nearly all basic scientists in our department have clinical training. They are committed to addressing unmet clinical needs for more effective therapies. They are driven by a desire to translate research findings to improve clinical outcomes, and they bring clinical and genetic data back into their laboratories.
Our department oversees more than 80 independent wet- and dry-lab labs with wide-ranging interests, and nearly all our faculty conduct clinical trials. Blood cancer research is predominantly conducted in the Division of Hematologic Neoplasia, while solid tumor biology is the focus of the Division of Molecular and Cellular Oncology. Investigators in the Division of Population Sciences use a range of epidemiologic, informatic, and computational approaches to study cancer biology, treatment, and prevention. Clinical research is organized within each of our 14 clinical divisions, with trials concentrating on novel therapeutics, early-stage drug development, and innovative outcomes research.
Our department recruits and trains clinical fellows with a strong dual commitment to patient care and cancer research. Through Dana-Farber’s collaborative fellowship program with Massachusetts General Brigham, we lead the largest oncology training program in the United States. Since the program’s inception nearly 50 years ago, we have continuously trained leading clinicians and researchers, and collectively they have advanced the field of cancer for patients everywhere.
Trace the remarkable growth and development of medical oncology at Dana-Farber – from its early roots to today’s mission-driven commitment to excellence in research, care, collaboration, and training.
Our impact is fueled by the rich intellectual environment of the Longwood Area institutions and the Boston/Cambridge scientific community. Our clinical research is coordinated with support from the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center, which provides a unified infrastructure for clinical trials across Harvard institutions. The tremendous breadth and volume of biomedical research in this region provide extraordinary opportunities for exceptional external collaborations. The future of cancer research is tremendously inspiring, with novel therapeutics, powerful tools for studying cancer biology, early detection diagnostics, precision medicine, and improved combination therapies on the horizon.
To learn more about the many ways you can support Dana-Farber's research initiatives with a philanthropic gift, please email Rebecca Shortle or call 617-632-4215.
