About

About Dr. Ann Marie Egloff

Ann Marie Egloff was born in Owosso, Michigan. She grew up with parents who instilled the importance of education and community involvement. Her mother was a sixth-grade science teacher, and her father was a public school educator and administrator.

Ann thrived in school, graduating from Swartz Creek High School with honors and recognition in math and science. As a student, she played varsity basketball, ran varsity track and field, and even joined the swim team as a diver for a season.

Ann Marie also served on the student council, acted in theater productions, and performed ballet with the Flint Institute of Music. She later attended the University of Michigan, where she graduated with a B.S. degree in Cellular and Molecular Biology.

The Start of a Research Career

Ann Marie’s first professional experience laid the groundwork for a robust biomedical science background. She started as a Research Assistant and then Senior Research Assistant at Warner-Lambert Parke-Davis (now Pfizer) in Ann Arbor, Michigan, earning two employee recognition awards during her tenure. There, she worked on molecular cloning and expression of therapeutic targets. She also evaluated small-molecule inhibitors used by cancer and metabolic disease departments.

This laboratory experience solidified Ann Marie’s passion for research, prompting her to pursue a PhD in Biochemistry, Cell, and Molecular Biology at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. During this time, she focused on immunology and protein biochemistry, completing a dissertation on immune cell signaling pathways that influence cellular response.

A Shift Towards Cancer Research

Upon completing her PhD, Ann Marie conducted a postdoctoral fellowship at the National Human Genome Research Institute. Her research included functional studies of cancer causing gene mutations for which she received an NHGRI award for excellence in research. While at the NHGRI, she witnessed the completion of the human genome sequence and large-scale cancer genetic screening endeavors. These experiences highlighted the emerging potential of cancer genomics for improving cancer treatments.

Ann Marie was accepted into a National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute (NIH/NCI)-sponsored Cancer Education and Career Development Program at the University of Pittsburgh, where she pursued a combined Master of Public Health in Epidemiology and a postdoctoral scholarship focusing on translational cancer research. This training and research had the explicit goal of translating biomedical research from the laboratory bench to patient care (bench to bedside) and included approaches that sought to tailor treatment to the individual patient’s cancer.

Leading Innovation in Cancer Research

At the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Ann Marie rapidly moved from postdoctoral scholar to Assistant Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology. She became a principal investigator of projects interrogating both the genomics of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and investigating cancer therapeutic vulnerabilities. She also became an active and integral member of large team science groups, the Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPORE). In this capacity, she spearheaded efforts and worked collaboratively to develop methods for integrating genomic and proteomic information to guide treatment–essential early developments toward personalized cancer therapy.

Her work received wide recognition, leading to funding by major organizations, including the NIH, and thousands of citations by international colleagues. She was also actively involved in the development and curation of extensive clinical biospecimen resources, enabling new levels of discovery through biomarker research and computational analysis.

Boston and Beyond

Ann Marie brought her expertise to Boston University in 2015, assuming a dual role as a Research Associate Professor and Scientific Director of the Department of Otolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery. She developed research infrastructure, fostered mentorship, promoted interdepartmental collaboration, and engaged with patient advisory boards and community members to advance translational research focusing on head and neck cancer.

Today, she is a translational cancer researcher and lead investigator within the Brigham and Women’s Hospital Department of Surgery and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and an Assistant Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School. Her research on head and neck cancers continues with a focus on tumor immunology and precision medicine approaches to cancer immunotherapy.

As a lead investigator on several high-profile projects, she works closely with surgeons, physicians, and scientists to translate laboratory findings into treatments. Her work varies from studying immune signaling in tumors to exploring why some cancers resist therapy.

A Passion for Teaching and Mentorship

Aside from her research, Ann Marie has always been passionate about teaching and education. She has been a faculty member at several institutions, including the University of Pittsburgh, Boston University, and Harvard Medical School. She mentors students and postdocs, reviews manuscripts for impactful scientific journals, serves on grant study sections, and has judged academic and biotech competitions. Her mentorship has helped young scientists launch successful careers in research and medicine.

Recognition and Professional Service

Ann Marie’s work received accolades for service, including the NHGRI Directors Award for Outstanding Service. She is also a member of several professional organizations, including the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

A Life Rooted in Curiosity and Community

Outside the lab, Ann Marie is an active community member in Somerville, Massachusetts. She is one of the organizers of a community garden and often volunteers on various projects. She currently serves as a trustee for her homeowners’ association.

Ann Marie has also supported several non-profit organizations over the years, including Doctors Without Borders, the National Park Foundation, the Audubon Society, and various local public libraries. In her free time, she enjoys biking, gardening, playing the violin, and reading, a blend of creativity and curiosity that mirrors her career.

A Career That’s Personal

Science, for Ann Marie, is about making a difference. It’s not about chasing headlines but building solid foundations, asking better questions, and leaving firm groundwork for the next generation.

Her research in immuno-oncology and head and neck cancers has made a real difference to patients, and her work continues to break new ground.

In a constantly evolving field of science and cancer research, what distinguishes Ann Marie is what she knows and how she applies it with thoughtfulness, precision, and compassion.