Theresa L. Werner

Theresa L. Werner, M.D. is a Professor in the Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine at the University of Utah School of Medicine, an Investigator at the Huntsman Cancer Institute, and Deputy Director of the Huntsman Cancer Institute. She also serves as Interim Division Chief of Oncology and holds an Adjunct Professor position in Obstetrics & Gynecology. Dr. Werner specializes in adult medical oncology with a focus on gynecologic malignancies.

Her educational background includes:

• Bachelor's degree from Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana
• Medical degree from Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
• Residency in Internal Medicine and Chief Medical Residency at University of Utah School of Medicine
• Fellowship in Hematology and Medical Oncology at University of Utah and Huntsman Cancer Institute

Dr. Werner's primary research interests focus on gynecologic malignancies, particularly ovarian, uterine, cervical, and vaginal cancers. She is heavily involved in clinical and translational research, with a strong emphasis on experimental therapeutics and phase one clinical trials. Her work often centers on developing new treatment approaches for gynecologic cancers, including targeted therapies and combination treatments. She has served as principal investigator for numerous clinical trials in gynecologic cancers and has contributed significantly to national treatment guidelines through her work with the NCCN Ovarian Cancer Panel.

Dr. Werner's recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on gynecologic oncology, particularly ovarian cancer research. Her work spans from basic science investigations of cancer biology to clinical trials of novel therapeutics. A significant portion of her research examines targeted therapies, including PARP inhibitors, angiogenesis inhibitors, and receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors. She also contributes to national treatment guidelines through her work with the NCCN, and has published on topics including homologous recombination deficiency testing, molecular subtyping of endometrial cancer, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer clinical trials.

Dr. Werner has received several notable scientific awards throughout her career:

• Awards for excellence in teaching and clinical care of patients during her residency at University of Utah
• 2016 recipient of the NCI Cancer Clinical Investigator Team Leadership Award

Dr. Werner has served in significant leadership roles including Deputy Director of Huntsman Cancer Institute and Interim Division Chief of Oncology. She was Medical Director of the Clinical Trials Office at HCI until 2022 and has served as principal investigator for numerous clinical trials in gynecologic cancers. Her grant funding likely supports her extensive clinical trial work and research in gynecologic malignancies. She serves on the National Cancer Institute's Gynecologic Cancer Steering Committee and the National Cancer Comprehensive Network (NCCN) Panel for Ovarian Cancer, which defines national standards for the oncologic care of ovarian cancer, as well as NCCN Patient Guidelines and NCCN Chemotherapy Templates groups.

Dr. Werner is a member of the Experimental Therapeutics Program at Huntsman Cancer Institute and has been actively involved in the phase one clinical trial program. She has served as Chair of the Association of American Cancer Institutes (AACI) Clinical Research Innovation (CRI) Steering Committee and is a member of several professional societies including the American Society of Clinical Oncology and NRG Oncology including the Gynecology Oncology Group.