Judith C. Gasson, Ph.D.

As the founding co-director of our center, Gasson played a pivotal role in establishing high-quality training programs and bringing together scientists from a variety of disciplines to further research into this rapidly emerging field.  She also served as director of the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center from September 1995 until September 2015. Under her leadership, JCCC became an international pioneer in translating laboratory discoveries into new, more effective therapies for cancer patients everywhere. During her tenure, cancer center faculty participated in the design and conduct of basic and clinical research studies that contributed to the FDA approval of groundbreaking cancer therapies including Herceptin, Gleevec and Tarceva. 

A molecular biologist, Gasson has devoted her career to the study of cytokine biology and signaling pathways in normal and malignant hematopoiesis. She was instrumental in purifying for the first time a hormone-like substance that increases the speed of bone marrow cell reproduction. That substance, called GM-CSF, is used to help prevent infections in cancer patients and to allow patients to tolerate more chemotherapy and radiation than had previously been possible.

Gasson spent more than 35 years at UCLA in various teaching, research and senior leadership roles. She currently serves as Senior Advisor for Research and Innovation to the David Geffen School of Medicine, a role that she has held since November 2015. In this capacity, she works with faculty inventors, business students and the Office Technology Development to facilitate the translation of innovative discoveries to address unmet medical needs. Gasson is also a member of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine’s governing board, known as the Independent Citizens’ Oversight Committee.