Anthony Letai is a physician–scientist and cancer biologist who became the 18th Director of the U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI) on September 29, 2025. Prior to this role, he was a Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and a medical oncologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, where he built an internationally recognized research program in cancer cell death and functional precision oncology.
Dr. Letai’s work has been central to advancing functional precision medicine, particularly in hematologic malignancies. He and his team pioneered BH3 profiling, a functional assay that predicts how cancer cells respond to therapies, enabling more precise treatment selection. His research also helped lay the scientific foundation for BCL-2 inhibitors, which are now standard-of-care therapies for multiple leukemias, and continues to explore how cell-death signaling can enhance the effectiveness of immunotherapies.
A strong advocate for rapidly translating discovery into patient benefit, Dr. Letai is a co-founder and former President of the Society for Functional Precision Medicine, promoting the clinical integration of functional assays. His contributions have been recognized with numerous honors, including the NCI Outstanding Investigator Award, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Scholar Award, Sidney Kimmel Foundation Scholar Award, and the European Cell Death Organization Career Award. He is an elected member of the American Society of Clinical Investigation and the Association of American Physicians.
The 100 Most Influential People in Oncology in 2025 recognizes the changemakers in cancer care who have helped shape current practice in oncology and continue to drive innovation and research towards better outcomes, advocacy, philanthropy, leadership, and education. For the many deserving individuals not mentioned in this list, we will continue to acknowledge, honor, and elevate your voices in our daily publications from across the world.
See the full list of The 100 Influential People in Oncology in 2025 and stay tuned for the results of special category nominations to be announced.
