About the Division
The Division of Gynecologic Oncology within the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at UC Irvine School of Medicine is committed to providing outstanding treatment for gynecologic cancers while training the next generation of physicians to care for patients in Orange County and beyond.
Faculty members within the division are world-renowned researchers with a range of investigative interests. UC Irvine has pioneered a number of therapies for patients with ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer and cervical cancer.
Fellowship Program
Our fellowship program, which has been active since 1977, trains physician-scientists to be lifelong learners with a passion for conducting groundbreaking research.
The Division of Gynecologic Oncology participates in a diverse array of research activities, including the development of novel drugs and targeted therapies for gynecologic cancers through Phase I, II and III clinical trials. Many medicines used today to treat these cancers were pioneered at UC Irvine, leading to FDA approvals for ovarian, endometrial and cervical cancers.
In addition to exploring non-chemotherapy options that improve quality of life, our division is advancing research in robotic surgery, complex gynecologic cancer surgeries, population sciences, health services and eliminating healthcare disparities in gynecologic cancer.
Faculty members in the Division of Gynecologic Oncology have collectively published more than 600 papers in peer-reviewed, high-quality medical journals. The division has received grants from the National Institutes of Health, including an R21 grant to study surrogate markers of tumor angiogenesis in cervical cancer, an R01 to study healthcare disparities and one of four prestigious Beau Biden Cancer Moonshot grants to study exceptional responders to therapy.
UC Irvine’s three-year Gynecologic Oncology Fellowship includes one year in the laboratory of a PhD mentor to conduct translational research on a wide array of projects relevant to the study of gynecologic cancers, including the tumor immune microenvironment, somatic mutations and biomarkers, and metabolomics. The robust basic science research program in gynecologic oncology makes discoveries to bridge the gap from the laboratory bench to the patient bedside.
During the two clinical years of the fellowship, the fellows work closely with the gynecologic oncology faculty and the cancer center research staff to identify eligible patients who may benefit from voluntary participation in our clinical trials for cancers of the ovary, endometrium, cervix and vulva. While most patients are referred from surrounding communities, it is not uncommon for patients to travel from anywhere in the United States to be screened for clinical trials at UC Irvine.
Integral to the gynecologic oncology research mission is our partnership with two nonprofit philanthropic organizations:
The Queen of Hearts Foundation was founded by three sisters—Kim, Cathy and Lori—whose mother, Anne, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. The Queen of Hearts is dedicated to raising funds for research and early detection of ovarian cancer.
The Emerald Hope Foundation is a multigenerational volunteer group dedicated to raising funds to support cancer research.
- Heated intraoperative chemotherapy (HIPEC) for advanced ovarian cancer
- Advanced robotic surgery for gynecologic cancers
- Cytoreductive surgical “debulking” for ovarian and peritoneal cancers
- Immunotherapy for gynecologic cancer
- Targeted therapy for gynecologic cancer
- Stereotactic radiation therapy for gynecologic cancer
- Quality of life studies using patient-reported outcomes
- Healthcare disparities research
- Fertility-preserving therapy for gynecologic cancer
- Management of cancer in pregnancy
- Human papillomavirus (HPV)-induced cancers
- Artificial intelligence in gynecologic cancer
If you would like more information about current or prospective clinical trials or studies, please contact:
Blake Johnson at 714-456-3476 or blakej@hs.uci.edu.
Robert E. Bristow, MD, MBA, FACS
Professor & Chair, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Division Director, Gynecologic Oncology
714-456-5968
Jennifer Ivask
Administrative Assistant to Jill Tseng, MD, and Kiran Clair, MD
714-456-6026
jivask@uci.edu
Louhuni Talavou
Administrative Assistant to Krishnansu Tewari, MD
714-456-8020
ltalavou@uci.edu
Katie Bacca
Fellowship Program Coordinator
714-456-6807
kbacca@uci.edu
For information on patient care, please visit our healthcare website. There, you will find comprehensive information on patient care services, including details on our dedicated healthcare providers, cutting-edge practices and compassionate approach to patient care.