Med School/Year Graduated: Harvard Medical School, 1989
Years in Practice: 30
You’ve made 16 consecutive Top Docs lists and reign as our all-time leader in gynecologic oncology. What single thing has changed most about the field since you started practicing?
Robotic surgery. It’s enhanced precision and recovery enormously. But breakthroughs in genetic testing, circulating tumor DNA detection, immunotherapy and pulsed electric fields have enabled actual cancer prevention, earlier intervention and even cures for [some] patients.
You’re also the first gynecologic oncologist in Arizona to surpass 5,000 robotic surgeries. What are some advancements in robotics that you’re excited about?
The DV5 platform has transformed surgical precision by enhancing surgeon control and feedback, while additionally [allowing] remote expert collaboration. Integrated cameras with 12-factor magnification and fluorescent markers reveal cancer metastases that are otherwise invisible to the eye.
Are genetics the main culprit in gynecologic cancers? Or is lifestyle a factor?
No easy answer to that. All cancer stems from genetic mutations, whether inherited or spontaneous, [and are] influenced by lifestyle. Integrating genetic insights with lifestyle modifications offers the best strategy for cancer prevention.
You trained at Johns Hopkins after medical school – known as perhaps the top research hospital in the world. How did that shape your future as a gynecologic oncologist?
My future was [mainly] shaped in medical school at Harvard-MIT’s HST program. Nobel laureates taught me that diseases stem from genetic and physiologic disorders, treatable through advancing technologies. This foundation emphasized that cutting-edge innovation must always be balanced with essential human compassion and hope.
You’re a German-speaking physician. Have you spent much time in that country?
Born in Germany, I became a U.S. citizen at age 4, but spent my first 10 years in Austria. Recently, I regained my Austrian citizenship, making me a dual citizen. I have a home near Vienna that has been in the family for 104 years!
You’re fond of the color purple! Is there a story behind that?
I like the HonorHealth shade of purple, but the crimson shade from my eight years of Harvard stuck with me as well.
You list cosmology among your varied interests. What’s the best book you’ve ever read about the cosmos?
Brian Greene’s The Elegant Universe. It’s a mind-bending read on string theory, quantum mechanics and how the universe came to be.
“If I wasn’t a doctor, I’d be…”
I think an astronomer – I’m fascinated by astronomy and the mysteries of the universe. In May 2023, I nearly discovered the SN 2023ixf supernova in the Pinwheel Galaxy. My Unistellar telescope caught it a mere 12 hours after Japanese astronomer Koichi Itagaki!
