Message from the Chief

Welcome to the Division of Oncology, a center of excellence in patient care, medical education, and state-of-the-art research. Cancer is a major public health problem and it is also an exciting challenge for discovery and innovation. Our faculty is dedicated to developing multidisciplinary and lifesaving treatments for people worldwide who are affected by cancer.

Our division is driven by 11 UTL faculty, 22 MCL faculty, 1 NTRL faculty, 14 clinician educators, and 9 adjunct clinical faculty.  In addition, the oncology division is home to 9 instructors, 13 clinical fellows, and 19 postdoctoral scholars.  Throughout the year, we host visiting scholars and researchers from institutions around the world.  We are an important part of the NCI-designated Stanford Cancer Institute, working closely with clinical and laboratory research colleagues. Each faculty member focuses on a specific area of cancer research and draws on discoveries from their own laboratories, from outside collaborators, or other leading researchers within Stanford and around the world.

The division has achieved milestones in cancer research treatments that span the spectrum from basic science to clinical care. From the pioneering of work on Hodgkin’s disease by Saul Rosenberg to the development of monoclonal antibody therapies for non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, the discovery of oncogene addiction, and the application of genetics for families at risk, the Division of Oncology continues to be at the forefront of ground breaking treatments for cancer. Current faculty is strongly focused on more than 200 clinical trials to develop diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to various types of cancer.

In addition, to preventing, detecting, and treating cancer, the Division of Oncology is dedicated to the education and training of new leaders in the field of Oncology. Our fellows undergo an intensive three-year training period in clinical care and research and are supported by educational conferences, lectures and mentorships.

We invite you to explore our website and to contact us about opportunities for research collaboration.

Heather Wakelee
Chief, Division of Oncology


Heather Wakelee

Professor of Medicine (Oncology) at the Stanford University Medical Center