Taofeek Owonikoko, MD, PhD joined the the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center and Department of Medicine as the Chief of the Division of Hematology/Oncology in July 2021. He is the Associate Director for Translational Research and Co-Leader of the Cancer Therapeutics Program at Hillman. Dr. Owonikoko holds the Stanley M. Marks – OHA Endowed Chair in Hematology/Oncology Leadership. He will is a key member of the senior leadership team at Hillman, helping to oversee our translational research, development of novel therapeutics, and expediting efforts to expand our clinical trials across the entire Hillman network. As division chief, he works with the leaders in the department of medicine to identify, cultivate and mentor the next generation of clinical and research leaders in oncology by creating a robust pipeline of training and mentoring programs.

Dr. Owonikoko is a physician-scientist, board-certified in Medical Oncology, Hematology and Internal Medicine with a clinical focus on treating patients with lung cancer. His research interests are in pre-clinical biomarker discovery in lung cancer and other solid tumor types, and translation of promising laboratory findings into clinical trials in collaboration with academic and industry partners. He has received extramural grant funding in support of his laboratory and translational research from the National Institutes of Health, Department of Defense and private foundations.