Rodney P. Rocconi, MD

Specialties: Gynecologic Cancers, Gynecologic Oncology

Gender: Male

Biography: Dr. Rodney P. Rocconi currently serves as Director of the Cancer Center & Research Institute and Professor of Gynecologic Oncology at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. He has a productive research career credited with over 200 presentations at national meetings and over 140 publications. His research interests include genetic/molecular determinants of racial healthcare disparities in gynecologic malignancies, as well as understanding the molecular mechanisms of chemoresistance in ovarian cancer. Numerous NIH/NCI, DOD, PCORI, and foundation grants have supported his research program. He has been recognized for his work as a recipient of the Gynecologic Cancer Foundation Ovarian Cancer Research Award, the Gynecologic Oncology Group Young Investigator Research Award, and an invited Associate Member of the NCI Early Detection Research Network.

Rocconi has served as principal investigator in over 80 clinical trials with multiple early phase 1/2 investigator-initiated studies. Rocconi’s clinical trial and translational research are highlighted by being the principal investigator for a series of ovarian cancer immunotherapy trials involving gemogenoventucel-T (Vigil), a novel autologous tumor cell-directed therapy constructed from harvested tumor tissue from each patient and transfected ex vivo with a plasmid encoding human GM-CSF and bi-shRNA for furin. Translational efforts towards predictive and prognostic biomarkers for this vaccine have demonstrated a significant survival benefit in patients with homologous recombination-proficient tumors. This represents an important unmet need where the standard of care has not changed in over 20 years. Additional work from his lab has identified the overexpression of a novel biomarker, ENTPD1, as the most robust predictive biomarker for both progression-free and overall survival.

Collectively, these experiences have allowed Rocconi to serve on numerous national leadership roles in the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), Society of Gynecologic Oncology (SGO), NRG Oncology Cooperative Group, National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), as well as to chair multiple Department of Defense Ovarian Cancer Research Program sections. Recognizing his accomplishments in oncology, he was selected to participate in the ASCO Leadership Development Program.