Dr. David Huntsman (MD, FRCPC, FCCMG) is the Dr. Chew Wei Memorial Professor of Gynaecologc Oncology, holds the Canada Research Chair (Tier 1) in Molecular and Genomic Pathology, and is a Professor in the Departments of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and Obstetrics and Gynaecology at UBC. He is also the co-Founder and Director of OVCARE, BC's multidisciplinary gynecologic cancer research team.
Dr. Huntsman’s early research has provided most of the data that underpins the current management of hereditary gastric cancer. Over the past decade, his research has led to development of predictive and prognostic tissue based cancer biomarkers for ovarian cancer and a wide variety of other tumour types. His team created a blueprint for subtype specific ovarian cancer control and have been leaders in the application of novel genomic technologies to better prevent, diagnose and treat ovarian cancer. Specifically, next generation sequencing was used to discover the key driver mutations in granulosa cell and sertoli leydig cell tumours as well as clear cell, endometrioid and small cell ovarian carcinomas. These discoveries are being translated into improved diagnostics and treatment strategies. Based on research into precursor lesions, the OVCARE team has implemented a population based prevention strategy for ovarian cancer that includes opportunistic salpingectomy and more pervasive genetic screening. Dr. Huntsman’s most recent research has focused on the cellular origins of clear cell and endometrioid ovarian carcinomas, the role of somatic mutations in the development of endometriosis and the transformation of endometriosis into these cancers.
Collaboration and entrepreneurship are both critical ingredients of clinically relevant research. To that end Dr. Huntsman leads several Canadian and international collaborative networks and recently founded a company, Contextual Genomics, to increase the clinical and economic impact of his work.
Dr. Huntsman has been honoured with leadership and research excellence awards including the inaugural Ovarian Cancer Canada Virginia Greene Leadership Award (2011), the inaugural Ovarian Cancer Canada Karen Campbel Award for Research Excellence (2012), the Canadian Cancer Society William E. Rawls Prize (2013), the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre William Gerald Award for Translational Cancer Research and Pathology (2016), and the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research Aubrey T. Tingle Prize (2018).
Professor, Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine and Obstetrics & Gynaecology, University of British Columbia
Dr. Chew Wei Memorial Professor of Gynaecologic Oncology, University of British Columbia
Canada Research Chair in Molecular and Genomic Pathology
Director of OVCARE, Vancouver General Hospital, BC Cancer and University of British Columbia
Distinguished Scientist, Department of Molecular Oncology, BC Cancer Research Centre
Director of the Molecular Pathology Laboratory, Vancouver General Hospital
Associate Member, BC Cancer, Genome Sciences Center
Associate Member, University of British Columbia, Department of Medical Genetics
Associate Member, University of British Columbia, Department of Urologic Sciences
Associate Member, University of British Columbia, CIHR/MSFHR Bioinformatics Program
Associate Member, University of British Columbia and BC Cancer, Interdisciplinary Oncology Program
Associate Member, University of British Columbia, Genome Science and Technology Graduate Program
MD, Memorial University of Newfoundland 1988
Rotating Internship, Dalhousie University 1989
Pathology Residency, University of British Columbia 1995
Clinical Oncology and Cancer Genetics Fellowship, University of Cambridge 1999