Navid Hafez

Dr. Navid Hafez, MD, MPH is an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology at Yale School of Medicine and a key member of the Yale Cancer Center. His primary academic appointment is within the Developmental Therapeutics Program, where he focuses on early-phase clinical trials of novel cancer therapies.

Dr. Hafez completed his medical degree from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in 2010 and earned a Master of Public Health from the University of California at Berkeley in 2004. His clinical training included residency and fellowship at Yale, establishing his long-standing connection with the institution.

Dr. Hafez's research focuses on developmental therapeutics and immuno-oncology, with particular interest in mechanisms of resistance and toxicity. His work spans multiple therapeutic areas including:

• PARP inhibitors and DNA damage response agents
• MDM2-p53 pathway targeting therapies
• Novel drug conjugates and targeted therapies
• Combination immunotherapies
• Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies of cancer drugs

Analysis of Dr. Hafez's recent publications reveals a strong emphasis on early-phase clinical trials across various solid tumor types. His research demonstrates particular expertise in biliary tract cancer, pancreatic cancer, and gastrointestinal malignancies. A notable trend is his investigation of mechanisms of resistance to develop more effective therapeutic strategies, as seen in multiple studies examining why certain tumors stop responding to treatment and how to overcome these resistance pathways.

Dr. Hafez has established a consistent publication record in high-impact oncology journals:

• Multiple publications in the Journal of Clinical Oncology
• Research in Annals of Oncology
• Work published in Clinical Therapeutics
• Contributions to OncoTargets and Therapy

Dr. Hafez actively participates in clinical research through the Yale Cancer Center's Developmental Therapeutics Program. His work bridges laboratory discoveries with patient care through carefully designed clinical trials. He collaborates extensively with pharmaceutical industry partners to evaluate novel therapeutic agents, as evidenced by his work on compounds like brigimadlin (BI 907828), CBX-12, and other experimental therapies. His research has particular strength in dose-finding studies, combination therapy approaches, and biomarker-driven treatment strategies that personalize cancer care based on tumor molecular characteristics.