Dr. Ophira Ginsburg is a physician-scientist and global public health leader with 20 years of experience advancing cancer prevention, screening, and access to care that translates into policy and practice. Her work, funded by NIH and other sources, spans genetic epidemiology, clinical trials, and implementation science, with a focus on women’s health equity. She brings a strong institution-building track record—mentoring faculty and trainees, while strengthening interdisciplinary and community partnerships.
She completed her BSc and MD at Queen’s University (Canada), MSc in human genetics at McGill University, postgraduate medical training and postdoctoral training in epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of Toronto. She is a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada in internal medicine and medical oncology and holds an active license to practice in New York State.
While on faculty at the University of Toronto Dr. Ginsburg served for 10 years as Medical Director of cancer prevention and screening and led a cancer genetics program for a diverse population of 1.5 million, while leading research initiatives to improve equitable access to cancer services in Canada, as well as in Vietnam and Bangladesh.
After a year at the World Health Organization, in 2017, she joined NYU Grossman School of Medicine as Director of High-Risk Cancer Genetics and Associate Professor of Population Health, where she led the expansion of cancer genetics services at NYU Langone and Bellevue Hospital and a funded research program to reduce cancer health disparities in New York as well as in India, Tanzania, and Vietnam.
Most recently, she served at the NIH as Senior Advisor for Clinical Research, providing oversight and strategic guidance for the National Cancer Institute’s Center for Global Health. She has authored 150+ publications, including The Lancet, The Lancet Oncology, JAMA, JCO and Nature Medicine. She is the founding Chair of The Lancet Commission on Women, Power, and Cancer, a global initiative addressing the intersecting inequities that shape women’s experiences with cancer. In 2022, Dr. Ginsburg received the Humanitarian Award from the American Society of Clinical Oncology. She is a consultant for Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières and is currently the Provost’s Visiting Professor of Global Cancer Equity at Imperial College London.