Starting on August 26, 2023, in honor of Women’s Equality Day in the United States, which commemorates the 1920 law granting women the right to vote, OncoDaily launched an initiative to spotlight 100 remarkable female leaders in oncology worldwide. Each week, 10 inspiring women were introduced, culminating in the full list and an updated edition in 2024.
Continuing this tradition, we are proud to present the 2025 list of 100 Influential Women in Oncology to Follow on Social Media.
While there are countless exceptional women leaders in oncology who deserve recognition, we acknowledge that we couldn’t feature everyone. This initiative is ongoing, and we look forward to your nominations for 2026. We’ll be sharing the submission link soon.
Here are the fifth 10 of 100 Influential Women in Oncology to follow in 2025:
Yelena Janjigian is Professor and Chief of the Gastrointestinal Oncology Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) in New York. A world-renowned GI oncologist, she has been an MSK faculty member since 2009, became Chief in 2018, and holds a professorship at Weill Cornell. She is a member of the International Gastric Cancer Association Council, chairs the Steering Committee of Giants of Cancer Care and serves on the Board of OncoDaily.
Her research in upper GI oncology has shaped new standards of care worldwide. She has earned awards such as the ASCO Conquer Cancer Career Development Award, Debbie’s Dream Medical Award, and the Cycle for Survival Grant. Beyond her scientific leadership, she is deeply committed to mentorship and education, fostering the next generation of oncologists and researchers.
Follow Dr. Janjigian on X and LinkedIn.
Sharlene Gill is Professor of Medicine at the University of British Columbia and a GI medical oncologist at BC Cancer – Vancouver. She has held leadership roles including Chair of the Canadian Clinical Trials Group (CCTG) GI Disease Site Committee, Chair of UBC’s Mentoring Committee, and Editor-in-Chief of Current Oncology.
Dr. Gill is President of the Canadian Association of Medical Oncologists and delivers her vision of patient empowerment—highlighted by her 2022 TEDx talk, “How to Flip the Script on Cancer.” She currently also serves as BC Cancer’s Medical Director of Staff Wellness and Engagement, underscoring her commitment to institutional health and provider welfare.
Follow Dr. Sharlene Gill on X and LinkedIn.
Amy K. Patel is a breast radiologist serving as Medical Director of the Liberty Hospital Breast Care Center and Associate Professor of Radiology at the University of Missouri – Kansas City. Dr. Patel serves as Chair of the ACR Radiology Advocacy Network and RADPAC leading about 40,000 radiologists in advocacy efforts.
She is managing partner at Alliance Radiology, Associate Editor of Digital Media for the Journal of the American College of Radiology and President of the Missouri Radiological Society, previously serving as President of the American Association for Women in Radiology (AAWR). Her efforts to improve access to imaging lead the way to equitable care.
Follow Dr. Patel on X and LinkedIn.
Dean Crowe is the Founder and CEO of the Rally Foundation for Childhood Cancer Research, a nonprofit she established in 2005 to drive progress in pediatric cancer research. Under her leadership, Rally has become a nationally recognized organization, supporting pivotal studies, advocating for children with cancer, and partnering with institutions and communities across the United States.
She has been a consistent supporter of OncoDaily’s initiatives, including the First and Second Global OncoThons, where Rally’s generous donations helped increase funds for childhood cancer research. Her leadership has been recognized with honors such as the Harvard Business School Club of Atlanta’s inaugural Social Impact Award in 2024.
Follow Dean Crowe on LinkedIn.
MEP Romana Jerković is a medical doctor and Croatian Member of the European Parliament and Vice-Chair of the Public Health (SANT) Committee, where she leads policy reforms to reduce cancer disparities and promote preventive care. Currently, she chairs the MEPs Against Cancer group in the European Parliament, pushing for stronger implementation of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, equitable access to innovation, and harmonization of cancer care across EU member states.
She also leads the MEP Digestive Health Group, a cross-party platform focused on digestive diseases and digestive cancers, advocating for screening, prevention, and standardized care across Europe. Dr Jerković has hosted high-profile events like Women & Cancer: 12 Million Reasons for Action, driving forward cancer rights – such as access to vaccination, screening, fertility treatment, and fair treatment in oncology workplaces.
Follow Dr. Jerković on X.
Julie Gralow is the Chief Medical Officer and Executive Vice President of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). She previously served as the Jill Bennett Endowed Professor of Breast Medical Oncology at the University of Washington and Director of Breast Medical Oncology at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance.
An internationally recognized leader in breast cancer research and advocacy, Dr. Gralow co-founded the Women’s Empowerment Cancer Advocacy Network (WE CAN) and Team Survivor Northwest. Having had played key roles in SWOG and ASCO global initiatives, she has been honored with numerous awards including the ASCO Humanitarian Award for her work in empowering women cancer patients and survivors globally.
Follow Dr. Gralow on X and LinkedIn.
Tania Small is the Senior Vice President and Head of Global Medical Affairs at Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS), leading oncology and translating patient-driven science across global teams. She is serving in the American Cancer Society’s Board of Advisors, ASCO Membership Advisory Committee and
Board of Accreditation Council for Medical Affairs (ACMA). She is also the CEO and Founder of Beacon Medical Pathway.
She began her career as a pediatric hematologist-oncologist and later held leadership roles at Novartis and Ipsen. At BMS, she drives action for equitable access, diversity, and inclusion in clinical trials and therapeutic development.
Follow Dr. Small on LinkedIn and X.
Lillian L. Siu is a Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto and senior medical oncologist at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre (University Health Network, Toronto). She is Director of the Phase I Clinical Trials Program, Co-Director of the Robert and Maggie Bras Drug Development Program, Clinical Lead for Tumor Immunotherapy, and holds the BMO Chair in Precision Genomics.
Dr. Siu is the President-Elect of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) for the 2025-2026 term and a Fellow of the AACR Academy. Her research focuses on early drug development, immunotherapy, genomics, and trial design for head and neck and gastrointestinal cancers. In recognition of her unmatched global impact, she received the 2024 David A. Karnofsky Memorial Award and the 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award from CAHON.
Follow Dr. Siu on X and LinkedIn.
Bente Mikkelsen is a global health leader and former Director of Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs) at the World Health Organization (WHO) Headquarters in Geneva. She previously led WHO Europe’s NCD and Health Promotion Division and was Head of the Secretariat for the WHO Global Coordination Mechanism on NCDs (GCM/NCD) from its start. In 2025, she was appointed Director of Global Engagement Strategies at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Trained as a gynecologist and obstetrician, Dr. Mikkelsen’s global work emphasizes reducing premature NCD mortality, building cross-sectoral collaborations, and employing innovation, implementation science, and health literacy to drive health equity.
Follow Dr. Mikkelsen on X and LinkedIn.
Christina Jewett is an investigative journalist at The New York Times, where she covers the U.S. Food and Drug Administration with a strong focus on drug safety and access to care.
Her work has been recognized with honors such the George Polk Award, the James Batten Medal, and the Barlett and Steele Gold Award. Her reporting has included major issues in oncology as chemotherapy shortages, regulatory gaps, and other systemic challenges that directly affect patients.
Follow Christina Jewett on X and LinkedIn.
See also:
100 Influential Women in Oncology: Key Opinion Leaders to Follow on Social Media in 2025 – Part 4
100 Influential Women in Oncology: Key Opinion Leaders to Follow on Social Media in 2025 – Part 3
100 Influential Women in Oncology: Key Opinion Leaders to Follow on Social Media in 2025 – Part 2
100 Influential Women in Oncology: Key Opinion Leaders to Follow on Social Media in 2025 – Part 1
100 Influential Women in Oncology: Key Opinion Leaders to follow on Social Media in 2024
100 Influential Women in Oncology: Key Opinion Leaders to follow on Social Media in 2023
OncoDaily Grand Rounds at ESMO 2025: GI Edition with Dr. Yelena Janjigian and Friends
Oncologist Near Me – Yelena Janjigian
100,000 USD match from the Rally Foundation at the Second Global OncoThon
Oncologist Near Me – Julie R. Gralow: A Visionary Leader in Global Cancer Care
Oncologist Near Me – Lillian Siu: Curiosity-Driven Cancer Innovator
