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Stephen Ansell

Stephen Ansell

MD, PhD

Academic History

Stephen M. Ansell, MD, PhD, is a Consultant in Hematology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, where he is also Chair of Faculty Development and Recruitment. In addition, Prof. Ansell is Chair of the Scientific Advisory Committee of the International Waldenström’s Macroglobulinemia Foundation and Chair of the Mayo Clinic Lymphoma Group.

Prof. Ansell received his MBChB in medicine and surgery from the University of Pretoria in Pretoria, South Africa. Following this, he completed an internship in internal medicine and surgery at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa, as well as a diploma in tropical medicine and hygiene. Prof. Ansell then undertook a residency in internal medicine, a PhD in medical sciences and a fellowship in medical oncology at the University of Pretoria. Prof. Ansell also completed a residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in hematology and oncology at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in Rochester, MN.

Prof. Ansell is on the editorial board of the Journal of Clinical Oncology and is the Associate Editor of the American Journal of Hematology.

Speaking on B-cell malignancy biology and the tumor microenvironment

Prof. Ansell’s research focuses on improving our understanding of the biology of B-cell malignancies, including Hodgkin’s lymphoma, Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and the role of the tumor microenvironment in cancer. In particular, Prof. Ansell studies T-cell activation and exhaustion, the role of phagocytic cells in tumors, and the role of cytokines and immunologically active signals in activating or suppressing tumors and promoting immunoglobin production.

Prof. Ansell’s research has contributed to the development and implementation of immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy for the treatment of lymphoma as he led the clinical trial that resulted in the approval of nivolumab for Hodgkin’s lymphoma.