Dr. Gordon B. Mills, M.D., Ph.D., is Director of Precision Oncology and the SMMART Trials at the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute. In this role, he leads a multidisciplinary effort to develop and implement adaptive precision oncology trials. His work centers on serial tumor and liquid biopsies to analyze tumor evolution in real time, enabling treatment strategies that preempt and overcome resistance mechanisms in individual patients.

Dr. Mills earned both his M.D. and Ph.D. in biochemistry and completed his clinical training in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Alberta. Prior to joining OHSU, he held numerous leadership roles at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, consistently ranked as the leading cancer center in the United States. There, he served as Founding Chair of the Department of Systems Biology, Co-Director of the Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Institute for Personalized Cancer Therapy and Co-Director of the Kleberg Center for Molecular Markers. He also held the Olga Keith Wiess Distinguished University Chair for Cancer Research.

Dr. Mills’ research program is focused on translating cancer genomic and molecular profiling into therapeutic strategies. His work spans five core areas: (1) mechanistic studies to understand the role of genomic aberrations in patient tumors, (2) identification and validation of therapeutic targets, particularly those associated with resistance and treatment adaptation, (3) development and implementation of molecular biomarkers, (4) integration of multi-omic data into predictive mathematical models using systems biology approaches and (5) comprehensive drug screening using both conventional assays and high-content imaging systems. A key theme in his research is the belief that every patient’s tumor offers critical insights: “Let the patient teach us what is important.”

To support this work, Dr. Mills has established and integrated a robust suite of high-throughput technologies, including genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, metabolomic and functional genomics platforms, with a particular focus on distinguishing oncogenic drivers from passenger alterations and uncovering therapeutic vulnerabilities.

Dr. Mills is recognized as one of the most cited scientists in biomedical research, with over 1,000 peer-reviewed publications and more than 20 patents. His work has been continuously funded for over 30 years through competitive federal and foundation grants. He is the recipient of numerous prestigious honors, including the Komen Foundation Brinker Award for Scientific Excellence, the Finneran Family Prize for Translational Research and the Stand Up To Cancer Laura Ziskin Prize for Mentoring.

In addition to his scientific leadership, Dr. Mills has been a dedicated mentor throughout his career. He has trained and supported dozens of graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and junior faculty, many of whom have gone on to leadership positions as full professors, department chairs and research institute directors. His commitment to mentorship has been widely recognized through multiple awards, underscoring his influence on the next generation of cancer researchers.