George Sledge

George Sledge is a Professor of Medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine and one of the most influential figures in breast cancer oncology over the past three decades. His career at Indiana University Cancer Center and later Stanford has been defined by his scientific leadership in understanding cell cycle regulation in breast cancer and translating that knowledge into the development of CDK4/6 inhibitors. He was central to the scientific and clinical rationale that led to the development of palbociclib, and he co-led the PALOMA-2 and PALOMA-3 trials that established palbociclib as a paradigm-shifting treatment for HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer. Before the CDK4/6 inhibitor era, Sledge was a major contributor to early taxane and anthracycline combination chemotherapy studies in metastatic breast cancer, and he helped establish the role of bevacizumab through the E2100 trial. His broader scientific interests include understanding how breast cancer evolves under selective pressure from therapy, the role of the immune microenvironment in HR+ disease, and mechanisms of metastasis. Sledge served as ASCO President from 2012 to 2013, using that platform to advocate for precision oncology and international collaboration in cancer research. He remains a prolific and influential voice in the field, training the next generation of breast oncology investigators and continuing to lead translational studies that bridge laboratory discovery with clinical application.