Suzanne Topalian

Suzanne Topalian at Johns Hopkins was a principal investigator on the landmark early-phase trials of nivolumab that established proof-of-concept for PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor therapy in solid tumors including melanoma, lung cancer, and renal cell carcinoma. Her pioneering clinical work on nivolumab demonstrated durable responses in patients who had exhausted conventional therapy, opening the checkpoint inhibitor era in oncology. She has contributed to understanding PD-L1 as a biomarker of checkpoint inhibitor response and to advancing the clinical development of nivolumab across multiple indications. Her contributions to the clinical translation of checkpoint immunotherapy represent one of the most transformative achievements in modern oncology.