Peggy L. Porter MD

Dr. Peggy Porter, a pathologist and researcher, is a member of the Human Biology and Public Health Sciences Divisions at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and Professor of Pathology at the University of Washington. As head of the multi-institutional Women’s Cancer Research Program centered at the Hutchinson Center.

Dr. Porter leads a dynamic group of basic scientists, epidemiologists, surgeons, oncologists and pathologists dedicated to reducing the incidence and subsequent mortality of breast cancer. Her lab focuses on identifying and understanding the molecular events associated with initiation and progression of breast cancer, particularly the role of abnormal cell cycle control. Her lab continues to integrate new technologies and apply them in large-scale studies to identify tumor markers of progression in diverse populations and specific breast cancer subtypes that can be used for detection, prognosis and prediction of response to therapy. Current studies include the determination of breast cancer risk and molecular alterations associated with radiation exposure in Chernobyl and the relationship of ancestry and breast cancer risk in Hispanic women. She obtained her medical degree in 1987 from the University of New Mexico and completed her residency in Pathology at the University of Washington where she was a recipient of the American Cancer Society Clinical Oncology Fellowship.