From academia to patient centered research and now as the Chief Medical Officer for Blood Cancer United, Gwen Nichols is changing the paradigm of care for hematology patients. When faced by a diagnosis of blood cancer, you must have the right treatment to deal with the specific form of the disease. Gwen has followed her passion since that first biology teacher inspired her and an early mentor nudged her into hematology to find, fund and ensure those treatments exist. Such a fun and open conversation that I hope inspire others to trust themselves to follow their own hearts, their own passions like Gwen has... and still is. "One story, one moment one donut at a time."
Who is Gwen Nichols?
As Blood Cancer United’s Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Gwen Nichols, MD, plays a critical role in advancing cures through a unique combination of clinical, academic and pharmaceutical experience. She oversees Blood Cancer United’s scientific research portfolio, patient services and policy and advocacy initiatives. Dr. Nichols leads an international team of preeminent leaders in pediatric acute leukemia to conceive, develop and implement PedAL BCU, a first of its kind global master clinical trial and a key component of the Dare to Dream Project, transforming treatment and care for kids with blood cancer.
A physician and scientific researcher, Dr. Nichols has dedicated her career to advancing cures for cancers. Before joining Blood Cancer United, she was oncology site head of the Roche Translational Clinical Research Center, where she worked to develop new cancer therapies, translating them from the laboratory to clinical trials. Prior to joining Roche in 2007, Dr. Nichols was at Columbia University for more than ten years, where she served as the director of the Hematologic Malignancies Program.
While at Columbia University, Dr. Nichols maintained an active clinical practice and received the prestigious honors of “Physician of the Year” from Columbia University and the “Humanism in Medicine Award” from the American Association of Medical Colleges.