Heinz-Josef Lenz

Academic History

Heinz-Josef Lenz, MD, FACP, is the Associate Director for Clinical Research and Section Head of GI Oncology at USC Norris and serves as Professor of Medicine and Preventive Medicine at the Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA. Prof. Lenz completed his medical degree in 1985 at Johannes-Gutenberg Universität in Mainz, Germany. He trained in Hematology and Oncology at the University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany, with clerkships at George Washington University, Washington, DC, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA. Prof. Lenz pursued postdoctoral fellowships in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Speaking on innovative colorectal cancer treatments

Prof. Lenz is a renowned researcher in gastrointestinal oncology, with a focus on colorectal cancer. He has contributed extensively to understanding the molecular underpinnings of drug resistance and carcinogenesis. His work has shaped biomarker-directed treatments and the development of novel immunotherapies. Prof. Lenz has published numerous high-impact studies, including key findings from the Phase III CheckMate 8HW trial, which demonstrated the efficacy of nivolumab plus ipilimumab in MSI-H/dMMR metastatic colorectal cancer. His work has been instrumental in advancing precision medicine and immunotherapy for GI cancers.