Sidney Kimmel Medical College

Department of Medical Oncology

Our nationally renowned cancer experts provide care for patients with all types of cancers, ranging from common cancers such as lymphomas, lung, breast, colorectal, and prostate cancers, to far less common cancers such as melanomas originating in the eye and sarcomas. Innovative therapies are being evaluated through collaboration with the National Cancer Institute, various pharmaceutical companies, and programs developed within our department and/or the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Jefferson. Vaccine development and other forms of immunotherapy are under active investigation. Our medical oncologists also perform autologous and allogeneic bone marrow transplantations for selected forms of cancer.

Training the next generation of physicians and scientists, including the next generation of thought leaders, is also an important part of our mission. Our physicians provide didactic training and serve as role models for our students, residents, and fellows, allowing them to develop their clinical and investigative skills under the watchful eye of a seasoned practitioner. 

In all our efforts, our goal is to provide the best available today, while making sure something even better is available tomorrow.

Our Mission Statement  

“Reimagining cancer care delivery, discovery, and education”

Department of Medical Oncology Goals

• To develop a locally and nationally recognized unified Department of Medical Oncology that delivers outstanding, state of the art and compassionate oncology care seamless in the community and the academic setting
• To be a national leader in oncology research bringing novel discoveries and therapies to the patient we serve and beyond while increasing extramural funding.
• To nurture and grow our current medical oncology faculty to ensure they continue to be productive, creative and compassionate
• To educate, train and mentor the next generation of diverse cancer clinicians, researchers and leaders to continue the growth of the Jefferson Enterprise.
• To expand internal and external collaborations through innovation, novel partnerships and entrepreneurship to improve cancer care delivery, accelerate discovery and enhances education opportunities.

Department News

August Update: New Faculty Join Us & Colleagues Move Forward

Please join us in warmly welcoming Dr. Steven Manobianco, who has joined us as an Assistant Professor of Medical Oncology. Dr. Manobianco brings a wealth of expertise and compassion to our team and will be actively seeing patients as a valued member of the Breast Cancer Group. We are excited to have him contribute to advancing patient care and research in this vital area.

The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center is pleased to announce that Babar Bashir, MD, has been named co-leader of the Immune Cell Regulation and Targeting (IRT) Research Program.  Dr. Bashir will be working with IRT co-leader Adam Snook, PhD, toward the IRT Program mission to investigate the role of immune cells in cancer initiation and progression, and ways to harness the immune system for cancer treatment. He is an oncologist that specializes in gastrointestinal cancer, Dr. Bashir is the Director of Early Phase Research Operations Multidisciplinary Disease Group (MDG) and Associate Professor in the Department of Medical Oncology with a secondary appointment in the Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cell Biology. His research interests focus on cancer vaccines, CAR T-cell therapy, developmental therapeutics, translational research, and early phase clinical trials.

On October 4th, the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center will host its 2nd Annual Uveal Melanoma Patient & Caregiver Educational Symposium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This in-person event will provide attendees with the latest updates on diagnosis, treatment options, and available resources, all free of charge.

Lastly, we would like to announce that Dr. Pierluigi Porcu will be departing from Thomas Jefferson University Hospital at the end of August. Over the years, Dr. Porcu has made invaluable contributions to both our university and the Department of Medical Oncology through his dedication to patient care, research, and education. We are deeply grateful for his commitment, expertise, and the positive impact he has had on colleagues and patients alike. We wish Dr. Porcu all the very best in his future endeavors and thank him sincerely for his years of outstanding service.