Biography
Dr. Yolanda (Yoli) Sanchez is the first Hispanic/Latine woman to lead a National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center. She is responsible for all cancer research and cancer clinical programs at the University of New Mexico, covering all schools, colleges, departments, and facilities. Dr. Sanchez has authority over all basic, translational, clinical, and population-based research; all cancer clinical trials; and all ambulatory and inpatient cancer clinical services, which include the UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center (UMCCC) clinical building and 30 dedicated beds at UNM Hospital. Dr. Sanchez collaborates with leadership at UNM, The Health Sciences and UNM Health as well as the NM legislature and executive to bring the latest cancer prevention diagnostics and therapeutics to New Mexicans. Most recently she was a senior leader at the Dartmouth Cancer Center, another NCI designated comprehensive cancer center. Dr. Sanchez is committed to diversifying the leadership at UNMCCC and at other NCI designated cancer centers in the nation.
Personal Statement
Dr. Sanchez is an international expert in DNA damage response pathways. Her work focuses on exploring oncology targets and drug development for clinical trials. Her program also focused on early drug discovery for targeting the “Achilles heel” of cancers driven by dysregulated Ras signaling for which few therapeutic options exist.
Before she was recruited to Dartmouth’s Geisel School of Medicine in 2006, Dr. Sanchez joined the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine faculty in 1998, receiving tenure in 2004, and was named a PEW Scholar in 2001.