Dr. Mark Schiffman is a world-renowned molecular epidemiologist whose pioneering work has fundamentally transformed cervical cancer prevention strategies worldwide. As a Senior Investigator in the Clinical Genetics Branch of the National Cancer Institute's Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, he has dedicated his entire career to understanding the relationship between HPV infection and cancer development. After earning his M.D. from the University of Pennsylvania and an M.P.H. in epidemiology from Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health, he joined the National Cancer Institute in 1983 as a Staff Fellow, beginning a remarkable journey that would establish him as a global leader in cancer prevention research. His career progression included appointment as Chief of the Interdisciplinary Studies Section in 1996 and his subsequent move to the Clinical Genetics Branch in 2009 to intensively study HPV as a powerful carcinogenic exposure.
Dr. Schiffman's groundbreaking research has established the definitive multi-stage causal model of HPV and cervical carcinogenesis, demonstrating that acute infection with carcinogenic HPV types followed by viral persistence rather than clearance leads to cervical precancer and ultimately invasive cancer. His extensive work with laboratory collaborator Dr. Robert Burk on HPV phylogeny has revealed that only a single clade of related alpha papillomaviruses are carcinogenic, explaining why only a dozen strains among hundreds cause cancer. His translational research has demonstrated the utility of HPV testing across the entire spectrum of cervical cancer prevention, fundamentally changing screening protocols worldwide and establishing the scientific foundation for integrating HPV testing with vaccination programs. As co-Principal Investigator of the Cancer Cures Moonshot Initiative called Accelerated Control of Cervical Cancer, he continues to drive innovation in global prevention strategies.
Beyond his research achievements, Dr. Schiffman has profoundly influenced global cervical cancer prevention policies through his leadership in major clinical trials and his role as co-Project Officer and Medical Monitor of the independent NCI Vaccine Trial. His mentorship has shaped generations of cancer epidemiologists, with his rigorous approach to reducing misclassification in HPV measurements setting the standard for the field. Despite a career spanning more than 35 years, he maintains an extraordinary level of enthusiasm for his work, famously recalling how during early HPV investigations he would be so excited that he didn't know what city he was in. Currently focused on optimizing the integration of HPV vaccination with screening programs, Dr. Schiffman continues to guide the field toward the ultimate goal of eliminating cervical cancer as a public health problem worldwide.
