Stephen T. Sonis, D.M.D., D.M.Sc.

Professor and Chair, Department of Oral Medicine, Infection and Immunity, Harvard School of Dental Medicine

Chief, Division of Oral Medicine, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Dentistry, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Senior Surgeon, Brigham and Women’s Hospital

Profile

After receiving his dental degree from Tufts University, Dr. Sonis entered a combined doctorate and clinical specialty training program at Harvard University. He was awarded a Knox Fellowship to study at Oxford University following completion of his doctoral degree and residency. He returned to the United States to accept joint positions at the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital, Sidney Farber Cancer Center, and the Harvard School of Dental Medicine. His research activities focused on laboratory investigation of lymphocyte-neutrophil interactions and the initiation of descriptive clinical studies on the oral complications of cancer therapy.

In 1978, Dr. Sonis was appointed the division chief at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Dr. Sonis’ research converged on the biology and clinical significance of cancer regimen-related mucosal toxicities. His studies on the molecular and cellular pathogenesis of mucositis have provided targets for treatment interventions. He has extensive experience in clinical trials for the prevention and treatment of mucosal barrier injury. Currently, he is the Chief of the Division of Oral Medicine, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Dentistry at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; Senior Surgeon at Brigham and Women’s Hospital; and Professor and Chair of the Department of Oral Medicine, Infection, and Immunity at Harvard. Many of his former students and residents now hold academic and clinical leadership positions.

Dr. Sonis has published extensively on the clinical, biological, and health economic aspects of oral complications of cancer therapy. He is the author of more than 150 original publications, reviews and chapters, and 7 books. He has lectured extensively on the clinical and biological aspects of mucosal barrier injury induced by cancer therapy. Dr. Sonis serves on a number of editorial boards including Oral Oncology.