Katherine Van Loon, MD, MPH
Katherine Van Loon, MD, MPH, has been appointed as the next Editor-in-Chief of JCO Global Oncology (JCO GO). JCO GO is an online-only, open-access ASCO journal focusing on cancer research, care, and delivery in low-resource countries and settings. The journal aims to address the challenges faced by health-care professionals in these regions by providing a platform for high-quality, relevant content. Dr. Van Loon will begin serving as Editor-in-Chief of JCO GO on February 1, 2025.
“Dr. Van Loon’s experience, skills, and passion for reducing global disparities in cancer care make her the ideal leader to build on JCO Global Oncology’s strong foundation,” said ASCO Chief Executive Officer Clifford A. Hudis, MD, FACP, FASCO. “She will be instrumental in helping us all better understand and address the unique challenges faced by health-care professionals providing cancer care in underresourced areas. We are excited by the opportunities to amplify ASCO’s mission to conquer cancer worldwide.”
Clifford A. Hudis, MD, FACP, FASCO
As Director of the Global Cancer Program at the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, Dr. Van Loon oversees UCSF’s portfolio of research, capacity-building projects in low and middle-income countries, and educational programs in global oncology. She is a medical oncologist specializing in gastrointestinal cancers, and her research focuses on the distribution of gastrointestinal cancers, both in the United States and around the globe, with the aim of enhancing clinical outcomes and minimizing disparities among populations facing health disparities.
Dr. Van Loon’s Background
Dr. Van Loon earned her MPH from Yale School of Public Health prior to pursuing her studies at the Medical College of Georgia. She completed a residency in internal medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School. In 2009, she began an oncology fellowship at UCSF, joining the faculty in 2012.
Dr. Van Loon is a member of the African Organisation for Research and Training in Cancer and founding member of the African Esophageal Cancer Consortium. Dedicated to promoting women in global health leadership, she is an alumna of the 2021 WomenLift Health Leadership Journey She has been the recipient of numerous mentorship awards for her efforts to develop resources for research training and mentorship for early-career investigators with interests in global cancer control. She has authored or coauthored more than 100 journal articles.
“It is both an honor and tremendous privilege to steward JCO Global Oncology at a time when the focus on the global burden of cancer is rapidly intensifying. ASCO and our international members have a tremendous opportunity to work collectively to reduce disparities in global cancer outcomes, and I expect we will see tremendous progress over the next decade,” said Dr. Van Loon. “As this field continues to accelerate, it will be imperative that the journal is able to keep pace and disseminate lessons learned from around the world for maximal impact.”
