Maura Gillison

Maura Gillison at MD Anderson Cancer Center is the researcher who established the causal link between human papillomavirus and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma, fundamentally reshaping the field. Her epidemiological and virological work demonstrated that HPV-positive and HPV-negative HNSCC are distinct diseases with different biology and prognosis. She has contributed pivotal trials on de-intensification strategies in HPV+ oropharyngeal cancer and defined the p16 immunohistochemistry standard as a surrogate for HPV status. Her career has driven both public health prevention strategies and new clinical trial designs for this patient population.