Emese Zsiros, MD, PhD, FACOG

I hold the prestigious Shashi Lele MD Endowed Chair in Gynecologic Oncology at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo, NY.  I completed my MD and PhD at the University of Debrecen, Hungary, where I distinguished myself in the top 1% of my class and accumulated numerous academic accolades.

During my OB/GYN residency at Northwestern University in Chicago, I conducted significant basic science research. I further refined my expertise in gynecologic oncology during a fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania, mentored by the esteemed George Coukos, MD, PhD. There, I played a key role in early-phase immunotherapy clinical trials targeting ovarian cancer.

After my fellowship, I joined Roswell Park in 2014 and was appointed as the first female surgical chair of the Department of Gynecologic Oncology in 2022. That same year, I was named co-leader of the Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy Program, part of the Cancer Center Support Grant from the NCI. In this capacity, I am instrumental in defining strategic research directions, advancing scientific initiatives, and mentoring faculty, significantly impacting groundbreaking clinical trials.

I am passionately committed to advancing women's health, focusing on improving survival rates and empowering women throughout their cancer journey. I actively engage in developing innovative treatment modalities, including cell therapies, that ensure longer survival, fewer side effects, and enhanced quality of life. My research has led to involvement in over 145 clinical trials, where I have demonstrated profound expertise in trial design, management, and industry collaboration. I also represent Roswell Park on the NCCN Ovarian Cancer panel. My influential work includes developing a combination therapy now listed as a second-line regimen for recurrent platinum-resistant ovarian cancer in the NCCN guidelines.

In my translational lab, my team and I delve into cell therapies and the ovarian cancer tumor microenvironment, exploring strategies to mitigate immunosuppression and amplify the efficacy of immunotherapies. I also spearheaded establishing the artificial intelligence (AI) research group at Roswell Park, employing machine learning to advance cancer research, and serve on the AI governing board.

Dedicated to mentoring the next generation of medical professionals, I advise fellows, residents, and graduate students on their research projects and guide junior faculty in their translational and clinical research, focusing on ovarian and endometrial cancers. I am also a reviewer on several national panels for the National Cancer Institute.

My excellence in surgery and patient care has been consistently recognized, earning the title of Buffalo Spree’s Top Doctor since 2019. I also received the Buffalo Business First Excellence in Healthcare Award in 2023 for my work on opioid prescribing reduction in Western NY. As a visionary leader, I am dedicated to elevating the Gynecologic Oncology Department and transforming patient outcomes with state-of-the-art immunotherapeutic strategies.