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.
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 sixth 10 of 100 Influential Women in Oncology to follow in 2025:
Her Royal Highness Princess Ghida Talal of Jordan is the Chairperson of the King Hussein Cancer Foundation and Center (KHCF/KHCC), leading Jordan’s national and regional fight against cancer. Under her leadership, KHCF/KHCC have become internationally accredited, expanded access to treatment, and launched pioneering programs for prevention, early detection, and cancer coverage.
She founded the King Hussein Award for Cancer Research and has represented Jordan at UN High-Level Meetings on Non-Communicable Diseases. A champion of mental health and academic freedom, she was honored with the Institute of International Education’s Humanitarian Award for International Cooperation and Jordan’s Medal of Independence (First Order).
Follow HRH Princess Ghida Talal on X.
Lise Alter, MD is the Director General of the French Health Innovation Agency (Agence de l’Innovation en Santé, AIS), leading national efforts to accelerate biomedical and digital health innovation under France 2030. A public health physician with a Master’s in Health Economics and Management, she previously served as Director of Medical, Economic, and Public Health Evaluation at the French National Authority for Health (HAS), where she oversaw drug, device, and vaccine assessments, including during the COVID-19 pandemic.
With prior roles at the Ministry of Health and Eli Lilly France, Dr. Alter has built an exemplary career advancing oncology innovation, access, and evidence-based policy.
Follow Dr. Lise Alter on X and LinkedIn.
Sara Tolaney is the Chief of the Division of Breast Oncology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Associate Director of the Susan F. Smith Center for Women’s Cancers, and Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Tolaney serves as Vice Chair for Late-Stage Development in Breast Cancer for the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology and is a member of the National Cancer Institute’s Breast Cancer Steering Committee.
A recognized global leader in breast oncology, she has received numerous honors for her leadership in research and education, including recognition from the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and Susan G. Komen.
Follow Dr. Sara Tolaney on X.
Jennifer Buell is the President and Chief Executive Officer of MiNK Therapeutics and serves on the Executive Council and Board of Directors at Agenus. Before joining MiNK, she served as President and Chief Operating Officer at Agenus. Earlier in her career, she held key roles at Bristol-Myers Squibb and the Harvard Clinical Research Institute.
With more than 25 years of experience in biopharmaceutical leadership, she has driven the development of novel immunotherapies from discovery to commercialization.
Follow Dr. Jennifer Buell on X and LinkedIn.
Erika Hamilton is the Chair of the Executive Committee for Breast Cancer and Director of the Breast Cancer Research Program at the Sarah Cannon Research Institute, where she leads national clinical trials and therapeutic innovation in breast oncology. She is also a Senior Investigator in Drug Development for Women’s Cancers and has been with Sarah Cannon since 2013.
An internationally recognized expert in breast cancer research, Dr. Hamilton serves on ASCO’s Cancer Research Committee and is the 2023–2025 Scientific Committee Co-Chair of the ESMO Breast Cancer Meeting. She is also an Associate Editor for Clinical Breast Cancer and a past Chair of ASCO’s Scientific Committee for Metastatic Breast Cancer (2019–2020). Her leadership has been recognized with honors such as the Women to Watch award by Nashville Medical News and selection for ASCO’s Leadership Development Program.
Follow Dr. Erika P. Hamilton on X and LinkedIn.
Agnes Lteif is the Senior Vice President and Head of Medical Affairs and Regulatory for North America at Ipsen, leading strategic initiatives across oncology and rare diseases. She brings over a decade of leadership in medical affairs and clinical development across U.S. and global markets, driving innovation, collaboration, and scientific excellence.
Before joining Ipsen, she served as Vice President and Head of Solid Tumors at Novartis U.S. Medical Affairs, where she led the launch of Kisqali in early breast cancer and strengthened its position in advanced disease.
Follow Dr. Agnes Lteif on LinkedIn.
Sophie Blake is a former television presenter and dedicated advocate living with stage IV metastatic breast cancer. She is the co-founder of the Brighton & Hove Secondary Sisters, a support and advocacy group for people living with secondary breast cancer in the UK.
Through her public work and personal journey, Sophie has become a powerful voice for patient rights, end-of-life care, and improved access to treatments. Her story – marked by honesty, resilience, and the strength of a single mother – continues to inspire and drive awareness around metastatic breast cancer.
Follow Sophie Blake on X.
Sherene Loi is a Professor of Medicine at the University of Melbourne and Head of the Translational Breast Cancer Genomics and Therapeutics Laboratory at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. She serves as Executive Director of the Breast International Group (BIG) and Chair of the Executive Committee of the Kathleen Cuningham Foundation Consortium for Familial Breast Cancer Research.
She has ranked among the world’s top 1% most cited researchers since 2018 and was named Australia’s Top Oncologist in 2024. Her honors include the Prime Minister’s Frank Fenner Prize for Life Scientist of the Year, the AACR Outstanding Investigator Award for Breast Cancer Research, and the ESMO Breast Cancer Award.
Follow Dr. Sherene Loi on X and LinkedIn.
Tsetsegsaikhan Batmunkh is the Director of the Public Health Department at the Ministry of Health of Mongolia, Founder and CEO of the National Cancer Council of Mongolia, leading national efforts in cancer prevention, policy, and advocacy. A physician and public health expert, she has played a central role in advancing Mongolia’s cancer control strategy – championing HPV vaccination, childhood cancer care, and access to essential medicines.
Dr. Batmunkh previously served as Director of the Medicine and Medical Devices Regulatory Agency, Advisor to the Minister of Health, and Officer at the World Health Organization. She is also a member of OncoDaily’s Editorial Board.
Follow Dr. Tsetsegsaikhan Batmunkh on X and LinkedIn.
Aleksandra Filipovic is the Chief Medical Officer at Gallop Oncology and a clinician-scientist specializing in oncology, immuno-oncology, and translational research, Head of Oncology at PureTech Health. With extensive leadership experience in both industry and academia, she has previously held senior roles at Bristol Myers Squibb, and AstraZeneca, advancing early- and late-phase oncology programs.
Dr. Filipovic is a practicing clinician at Imperial College London, faculty member at the European School of Oncology (ESO), and Scientific Board Member of Sharing Progress in Cancer Care (SPCC). She serves as an Associate Editor for Frontiers in Oncology.
Follow Dr. Aleksandra Filipovic on LinkedIn.
100 Influential Women in Oncology: Key Opinion Leaders to Follow on Social Media in 2025 – Part 5
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
King Hussein Cancer Research Award: Don’t Miss Your Chance to Apply
Jennifer Buell: Pioneering Leadership in Biotechnology
Erika Hamilton – Candidate for ASCO Nominating Committee
Cancer Control in Mongolia: HE Dr. Zainab Shinkafi Bagudu Interviews Dr. Tsetsegsaikhan Batmunkh
