Dr. Oliver Dorigo

Dr. Dorigo directs the Division of Gynecologic Oncology at Stanford University and leads the Mary Lake Polan Research Laboratory, where he integrates translational discovery with patient care to reduce morbidity and mortality from gynecologic malignancies. His laboratory investigates tumor–immune interactions and DNA-repair vulnerabilities, work that underpinned the first Stanford-led maintenance trial of the PARP inhibitor niraparib in platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer and informed current adaptive protocols that stratify therapy by homologous-recombination status. He serves as Principal Investigator for industry-academic studies of engineered T cells, including CRX100, a bacteria-based cellular immunotherapy supported by an $8 million California Institute for Regenerative Medicine award.

 

A strong advocate for biomarker-driven prevention, Dr. Dorigo partners with epidemiologists to define multi-analyte panels that detect high-grade serous carcinoma before clinical presentation and collaborates with bioengineers on AI-enabled histopathology platforms that refine grading and staging. His group also examines population-level incidence trends to guide equitable outreach; recent analyses of national registries document falling mortality yet persistent disparities by histologic subtype, informing policy briefs submitted to the National Cancer Institute. Recognized internationally, he chairs the Scientific Advisory Committee of the Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance and frequently reviews grants for the European Research Council and the NIH Gynecologic Cancer Steering Committee. 

 

Dr. Dorigo balances research leadership with an active surgical and systemic-therapy practice that emphasizes minimally invasive cytoreduction, hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy, and enrollment in first-in-human immunotherapy trials. He mentors fellows in trial design, biostatistics, and ethical conduct, directing Stanford’s Gynecologic Oncology Fellowship and Clinical Research Groups. His educational contributions earned national teaching awards and continuous NIH funding for investigator development. Patients value his multilingual counseling—he speaks German and Italian—and his commitment to coordination across surgical, medical, and supportive disciplines.