Mayo Clinic
Rochester, Minnesota, United States
Dr. Evanthia Galanis is a Professor of Oncology and Sandra J. Schulze Professor of Novel Therapeutics at the Mayo Clinic where she has served as the Chair of the Department of Molecular Medicine and leader of the Virus and Gene Therapy Program of the Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. Galanis’ laboratory research focuses on the development and optimization of novel virotherapy and immunovirotherapy approaches in the treatment of cancer. A significant impetus for her research has been the translation of laboratory advances into clinical trials of novel therapeutics for cancer patients. She has served as principal investigator in multiple phase I/II cancer gene therapy and virotherapy trials and has pioneered the clinical testing of oncolytic measles virus derivatives or oncolytic virus infected adipose tissue derived mesenchymal stem cells in patients with solid tumors, including recurrent glioma. Dr. Galanis has served as principal investigator in multiple cooperative group [NCCTG, Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology (Alliance)] trials testing novel therapeutics in brain tumors. From 2012 to 2023, she served as the Chair of the Brain Tumor Committee of the cooperative group Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology; in this capacity she has led the development of a broad clinical trial portfolio, including innovative trial designs, launching of the first individualized medicine neurooncology trials and implementation of standardized MRI protocols in cooperative group trials. In November 2023, Dr. Galanis transitioned to the position of the Alliance Group Chair. In addition, she is a Consultant for the Food and Drug Administration’s Cellular, Tissue and Gene Therapies Advisory Committee, a board member for the National Brain Tumor Society (NBTS), co-Chair of NCI’s GBM Working/Interest Group, member of the Brain Malignancies Steering Committee and Chair-Elect of the Society of Neurooncology (SNO).