Dennis Slamon

Dennis Slamon at UCLA discovered HER2 gene amplification as a driver of aggressive breast cancer and led the clinical development of trastuzumab (Herceptin), transforming HER2-positive breast cancer from the worst prognosis subtype to one with the best outcomes. His foundational laboratory work identified HER2 amplification in breast cancer in the 1980s and his subsequent translational research established trastuzumab as a clinically effective targeted therapy. He inspired the film Living Proof depicting his journey to trastuzumab approval. His subsequent contributions to CDK4/6 inhibitors in breast cancer have continued his pioneering translational research legacy.