Syma Iqbal

Syma Iqbal, MD, is an Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine at the University of Southern California's Keck School of Medicine and Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center. She holds leadership roles as Medical Director for Inpatient Services at Norris Cancer Hospital, Medical Director of Ambulatory Services/Infusion Center, and Associate Cancer Physician in Chief. Dr. Iqbal chairs the Norris Clinical Investigations Committee and is a national thought leader in systemic therapy for esophageal and gastric cancers, including roles as co-Chair of the Southwest Oncology Group Esophago-Gastric Committee and Chair of the National Cancer Institute’s Esophago-Gastric Task Force.

Dr. Iqbal graduated from the Keck School of Medicine of USC in 1995 and completed a Hematology and Oncology Fellowship in 2001. Her research focuses on clinical trials for gastrointestinal malignancies, pharmacogenomics in colorectal cancer, and molecular markers for treatment response and survival. Key publications highlight anti-HER2 therapies, PD-1 inhibitors, and genomic profiling in oncology.

Her clinical trials span phase I-III studies in gastric, esophageal, colorectal, and pancreatic cancers, emphasizing drug combinations, resistance mechanisms, and biomarker-driven approaches. While no scientific awards are explicitly mentioned, her work has shaped national guidelines through leadership in cancer research consortia.