Karen Anderson MD, PhD

Karen S. Anderson, M.D., Ph.D., is a board-certified medical oncologist and physician-scientist at Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, Arizona. She specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of breast, ovarian, pancreatic, and HPV-associated cancers, with a particular focus on cancer immunology, immunotherapy, early cancer detection, and biomarker discovery. Her clinical practice integrates precision oncology with innovative research aimed at improving cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment outcomes.

Dr. Anderson earned her Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry from the University of Virginia before completing both her M.D. and Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology through the Medical Scientist Training Program at Duke University School of Medicine. She completed her internship and residency in Internal Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, followed by a fellowship in Adult Hematology and Oncology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. She currently serves as a Professor of Medicine at Mayo Clinic.

An internationally recognized leader in translational cancer research, Dr. Anderson directs clinical trials focused on breast cancer immunotherapy, targeted therapies, genomic-guided treatment strategies, cancer vaccines, and novel diagnostic technologies for early cancer detection. Her research has significantly advanced the understanding of immune responses in cancer and the development of biomarker-based diagnostics. She has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications and serves in leadership roles with organizations including the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), the National Cancer Institute's Early Detection Research Network, and the Arizona Biomarker Alliance. Her contributions to research, education, and mentorship have earned multiple honors, including the Outstanding Faculty Mentor Award from Arizona State University and membership in Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society.