Olufunmilayo Olopade, MBBS, FACP

Walter L. Palmer Distinguished Service Professor
Director, Center for Clinical Cancer Genetics and Global Health
Associate Dean for Global Health
The University of Chicago

Dr. Olufunmilayo Olopade is a highly skilled hematology oncologist with proven expertise in cancer risk assessment. She conducts comprehensive evaluations of family history and other risk factors for patients in the Cancer Risk Clinic. Once she identifies a person at high risk, Dr. Olopade designs an individualized prevention plan that may include periodic screening, preventative drugs or other options for risk reduction.

She is an expert on individualized treatment for breast cancer. Dr. Olopade takes an interdisciplinary approach to breast cancer care with treatment plans tailored to each person's risk factors. She also focuses on quality of life concerns for young breast cancer patients--addressing topics related to pregnancy, fertility and employment.

As an international leader in breast cancer research, Dr. Olopade continues to help scientists gain a greater understanding of the disease. Her current research interests include identifying the source of ER-negative breast cancer--an aggressive form of the disease, which is resistant to hormone therapy. Dr. Olopade aims to improve screening standards and early detection for moderate- and high-risk populations. She has a special interest in women of African descent, who are at higher risk for the more aggressive breast cancer and more likely to be diagnosed at a younger age. Dr. Olopade has lectured on topics such as breast cancer and cancer genetics at several national and international conferences.