Dr. Dennis J. Slamon

Dr. Dennis J. Slamon, MD, PhD is a groundbreaking medical oncologist and physician-scientist at UCLA Health, where he serves as Chief of the Division of Hematology/Oncology, Director of Clinical/Translational Research at the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Executive Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Medicine. He earned his MD and PhD from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, followed by residency and fellowship training at UCLA. Board-certified in Internal Medicine and Medical Oncology, Dr. Slamon has devoted his career to advancing targeted therapies for breast cancer and currently provides both in-person and telehealth consultations for patients across the spectrum of solid tumor malignancies.

He is internationally acclaimed for leading the discovery and clinical development of trastuzumab (Herceptin), a monoclonal antibody that transformed the treatment of HER2-positive breast cancer. This breakthrough laid the foundation for the modern era of precision oncology, drastically improving survival rates for a once-aggressive cancer subtype. Dr. Slamon has continued to drive innovation by leading pivotal trials for other targeted therapies, including CDK4/6 inhibitors and PI3K pathway agents. His work bridges laboratory science and clinical care, ensuring that advances in molecular oncology translate directly into better outcomes for patients.

In addition to his scientific and clinical contributions, Dr. Slamon plays a critical leadership role in academic medicine. He has published extensively in leading journals, served on national research committees, and mentored generations of oncologists and researchers. His efforts have been recognized with numerous honors, including the Lasker~DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award, the American Cancer Society Medal of Honor, and election to the National Academy of Medicine. Through his transformative discoveries, commitment to translational science, and leadership in oncology, Dr. Slamon is widely recognized as a pioneering force in the fight against breast cancer.