Dr. Luis Diaz is a leading authority in oncology who has pioneered several genomic diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for cancer. He is the Head of the Division of Solid Tumor Oncology at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center where he specializes in the treatment of advanced pancreatic and colorectal cancers and directs the Precision Interception & Prevention (PIP) Program. Dr. Diaz has undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of Michigan and completed residency and medical oncology training at Johns Hopkins.
His group was the one of the first demonstrate that the level of mutations in the circulation, also known as circulating tumor DNA, could be applicable for cancer screening, early detection, monitoring, and measurement of early residual disease after surgery. His team also first conceptualized the use of checkpoint blockade in patients with mismatch repair deficiency. These studies resulted in the first tumor agnostic approval granted by the FDA.