Celebrating TIME100 Health 2025’s Most Influential Leaders in Oncology

2025 is unlike any year in recent memory for global health. Amid political upheaval, leadership shakeups in the U.S. health system, and the withdrawal of American support from key global health institutions like the WHO and USAID, many health professionals are left wondering what the future holds for their work—and for their patients. Yet even in this uncertain moment, innovation and impact endure.

This year’s TIME100 Health list, curated by TIME’s editorial team with guidance from Dr. David Agus and Arianna Huffington, highlights the 100 most influential figures shaping health across the globe. From pioneering researchers and biotech entrepreneurs to public health leaders and advocates, this list reflects the resilience and vision of those driving change in an increasingly complex landscape.

Among them, a remarkable group of individuals is transforming the way we understand, detect, and treat cancer. These cancer-focused changemakers—scientists, CEOs, clinicians, and visionaries—are not only breaking new scientific ground but also redefining how innovation reaches patients, across borders and systems.

From personalized mRNA vaccines for pancreatic cancer to AI-powered treatment selection and CRISPR-based breakthroughs, their work embodies hope, precision, and progress in cancer care. At OncoDaily, we are proud to spotlight these extraordinary leaders and their inspiring contributions to oncology.

Cancer Innovators on the TIME100 Health 2025 List

1. Vinod Balachandran – Catalyst

Contribution: Developing personalized mRNA vaccines for pancreatic cancer, aiming to train the immune system to recognize and attack tumor-specific neoantigens unique to each patient’s tumor .

Recognition: Recipient of the Yvonne Award 2024 by OncoDaily for his groundbreaking work in cancer immunotherapy.

He reflected on this achievement, on LinkedIn:

“Grateful & humbled to make the 2025 TIME 100 HEALTH list with such inspiring global health leaders.

This honor reflects my team – they are unrelenting in their efforts to advance new treatments for pancreatic cancer!”

2. Dr. Andrea Cercek – Pioneer

Contribution: Led a landmark study demonstrating complete remission in patients with a specific rectal cancer subtype using immunotherapy. In 2025, expanded this approach to other cancers, including esophageal, colon, stomach, and endometrial cancers.

3. Dr. Andre Esteva – Innovator

Contribution: Co-founded ArteraAI, developing AI tools to personalize cancer therapies, notably predicting the most effective prostate cancer treatments for individual patients.

He reflected on this achievement, on LinkedIn:

“Thank you TIME for selecting me for the TIME 100 Health list of the world’s most influential people in health.

It’s been a privilege to found and lead ArteraAI – the work we are doing will save so many lives. Already our prostate cancer test, which helps identify which therapies patients would most benefit from, has been adopted by ~20% of prostate cancer clinicians just 5 quarters from launch. We are in the NCCN Guidelines for the treatment of prostate cancer (National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN®)), reimbursed by Medicare (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services), covered by dozens of private payers (including Anthem, Inc.), and scaling in the US and abroad.

If you are attending this year’s American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting, drop by and see our various presentations on our work developing predictive AI tests for both prostate and breast cancer.

Artera and I wouldn’t be here without the support of our many wonderful investors and advisors. So much gratitude.
Marc Benioff, Lip-Bu Tan, Jim Breyer, Navin Chaddha, Chris Re, Andy Jacques, Amarjit Gill, Steve Blank, Jeff Dean, Dennis Wong, Michael Driscoll, Clarence S., Karen Knudsen MBA PhD, Andrew Tan, Andrew Hoffman, Jocqueline Kaup, Rajiv K., Wally Curran, Neal Shore, EDBI Pte Ltd, Prosperity7 Ventures, Walden Catalyst Ventures, Koch Disruptive Technologies, Coatue, Johnson & Johnson, American Cancer Society, Trium Leadership Institute

And shout out to the editors of course: Emma Barker Bonomo, Jessica Sibley, Sam Jacobs.”

4. AmirAli Talasaz & Helmy Eltoukhy – Innovators

Contribution: Co-CEOs of Guardant Health, pioneers in liquid biopsy technology. Their Shield test, approved by the FDA in 2024, offers non-invasive screening for multiple cancers, including lung, breast, and prostate.

AmirAli Talasaz reflected on this achievement, on LinkedIn:

“I am honored to be named to the TIME100Health list along with Helmy Eltoukhy, recognizing the 100 most influential individuals in health.

This is a recognition of the incredible work that our Guardant Health team has done with the Shield blood test for colorectal cancer and Shield’s ability to save lives around the world. Together, we’re advancing cancer screening and revolutionizing precision oncology—bringing us closer to a world where cancer is detected earlier and treated more effectively.

There are still many more patients to reach and patients we can benefit with Shield. These are patients whose cancers may be too advanced for treatment, patients who don’t yet know they have cancer, patients with a disease we are still working to detect, or someone not yet aware of an easy blood-based test. I’ve never been more confident in what we can achieve working together.”

Helmy Eltoukhy also shared:

“I am deeply honored to be included in TIME Magazine’s prestigious 2025 list of the 100 Most Influential People in Global Health, along with my co-founder AmirAli Talasaz. This recognition reflects the extraordinary dedication and innovative spirit of the entire Guardant Health team, whose tireless efforts are revolutionizing the entire continuum of cancer care.

Steve Jobs once so insightfully stated, “Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.” At Guardant, we strive to embody this ethos, pioneering blood tests that not only detect cancer with increasing precision but also give patients and families the precious gift of time—time for more joy, more milestones, and more memories.

Thank you, TIME Magazine, for acknowledging our vital work, to our courageous patients who inspire us daily, and to my exceptional colleagues whose commitment makes transformative healthcare possible.”

5. Dr. Samarth Kulkarni – Innovator

Contribution: CEO of CRISPR Therapeutics, instrumental in advancing gene-editing therapies. In 2025, achieved FDA approval for a CRISPR-based treatment for sickle cell anemia, with implications for cancer treatment.

“It’s an honor to be named on the TIME100HEALTH 2025 list! Thank you TIME for the recognition and congratulations to all of the honorees for their impact across global health.” – shared Samarth on LinkedIn.

6. Shelley Hwang – Pioneer

Contribution: Surgical oncologist at Duke Cancer Institute, advocating for less invasive treatments for early-stage breast cancer, challenging traditional approaches to surgery and radiation.

7. Abasi Ene-Obong – Pioneer

Contribution: Founder and CEO of Syndicate Bio, focusing on expanding genetic testing in Africa to improve cancer diagnostics and treatment, leveraging the continent’s vast genetic diversity .

“TIME’s list of the 100 Most Influential People in global health is out today, and I am deeply honored to be included: TIME100 Health 2025.

For those who know my journey, this recognition carries profound meaning. It is a testament to resilience, a signal to keep building—even in the face of adversity. As someone once said, “adversity is the first path to truth” More than ever, my resolve, purpose, and the impact I seek to create are crystal clear.

None of this would be possible without the incredible team at Syndicate Bio and the supporters who have stood by us. Your dedication, belief, and tireless work are the foundation on which we continue to build, innovate, and drive meaningful change in global health. This recognition belongs to all of us.

To those navigating hardship—whether in the past, present, or future—I leave you with these words from Rudyard Kipling’s If, a timeless reminder of strength in the face of trials:

 

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream-and not make dreams your master;
If you can think-and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on!”

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings-nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run-
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And-which is more-you’ll be a Man, my son!

This recognition is not just a personal milestone—it is a testament to the collective vision, dedication, and unwavering pursuit of progress that fuels our work.
To the team, our partners, and every supporter who believes in our mission: thank you. The journey ahead is bright, and together, we build.” – shares Abasi Ene-Obong on LinkedIn.

8. Dr. David Fajgenbaum – Innovator

Contribution: Leads efforts in drug repurposing, identifying existing medications that can be used to treat various diseases, including cancer.

“So proud that we’ve been selected to the 2025 TIME100 Health list, recognizing the 100 most influential individuals in health.

This recognition is a testament to our amazing teams at Every Cure, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, and the Castleman Disease Collaborative Network, our incredible partners, and all of you who have helped to advance our mission!

It’s so exciting to think that our nonprofit work advancing drug repurposing has been included alongside these other 99 amazing leaders and initiatives. 

Ever since I saved my life with a repurposed drug, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about all of the other drugs that could be repurposed to save more lives and co-founded Every Cure with Grant W Mitchell, MD, MBA and Tracey Sikora to unlock these hidden cures.

Here’s to saving and improving more lives with repurposed drugs!” – shares David Fajgenbaum on LinkedIn

Behind every breakthrough in cancer care is a person—a researcher, a doctor, a visionary—driven by purpose, compassion, and the hope for a better future. The individuals recognized in the TIME100 Health 2025 list have not only pushed the boundaries of science and technology but have also touched lives around the world through their dedication to transforming how we understand, detect, and treat cancer.

At OncoDaily, we celebrate their incredible achievements and the impact they’ve already made—and will continue to make—in the lives of patients and families. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to each of them for this well-deserved honor.

As cancer care continues to evolve, we’ll be here to share the stories that matter.

Stay connected with OncoDaily for more inspiring stories and the latest in global oncology.