Rachael B. Turner

Dr. Rachael B. Turner serves as Assistant Professor in Hematology/Oncology within the Department of Medicine and holds a joint appointment in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. She specializes in gynecologic cancers as part of UR Medicine's Gynecologic Oncology team, providing personalized care for ovarian, uterine, cervical, and fallopian tube malignancies while advancing immune-based therapeutic approaches.

Her academic foundation includes dual MD and PhD degrees from the University at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (2013), followed by Internal Medicine Residency (2014-2015) and Medical Oncology Fellowship (2015-2018) at the University of Rochester Medical Center. Board-certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in both Internal Medicine and Medical Oncology, she maintains active clinical practice at Lattimore Medical Center and Highland Hospital.

Dr. Turner's research program centers on tumor-immune interactions in ovarian cancer, with particular focus on HE4 biomarker mechanisms, immunosuppressive microenvironments, and novel therapeutic targets. Her work bridges laboratory investigations of immune checkpoint pathways like PD-L1 with translational applications for enhancing chemotherapy efficacy through small-molecule inhibitors. Current projects explore how HE4 compromises cytotoxic immune cell function and promotes angiogenesis via STAT3 signaling, aiming to develop biomarker-guided immunotherapies.

Analysis of her 15 publications (2009-2021) reveals consistent focus on ovarian cancer immunology, with recent work emphasizing HE4's role in immune suppression and combination therapy approaches. Key trends include mechanistic studies of tumor microenvironment regulation, development of targeted agents like MEK inhibitors, and investigations into immune cell dysfunction - all converging toward clinically actionable strategies for gynecologic malignancies.

Her scientific contributions have been recognized through 12 major awards including:

• Conquer Cancer Foundation Young Investigator Award (2018)
• Wilmot Fellowship Award (2018)
• Technology Development Fund Grant (2019-2020)
• W.G Stuber Research Award (2019-2020)
• Internal Medicine Department Faculty Pilot Award (2020-2021)

Dr. Turner's research program is supported by competitive grants including the Technology Development Fund and Wilmot Cancer Institute funding, with recent work focusing on translating HE4-related discoveries into clinical applications. While specific advisees aren't documented, her mentorship occurs through URMC's Hematology/Oncology fellowship program and Wilmot Cancer Institute research initiatives. She actively collaborates with surgical oncology colleagues in the Gynecologic Oncology Disease Center, integrating laboratory findings with clinical care pathways for women's cancers.

As a principal investigator within the Wilmot Cancer Institute's Women's Cancers Research Program, she leads translational projects examining immune evasion mechanisms. Her laboratory work complements clinical trials participation through Accountable Health Partners, focusing on biomarker-driven therapeutic strategies for recurrent ovarian cancer.