Patrick Hwu, M.D.

President and Chief Executive Officer, Moffitt Cancer Center
Professor, Department of Oncologic Sciences, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida

12 U.S. Patents

Patrick Hwu is a pioneering physician-scientist, tumor immunologist, inventor, and leader in cancer research whose work has helped shape the modern field of cancer immunotherapy. He is President and Chief Executive Officer of Moffitt Cancer Center, the only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center based in Florida, and a Professor in the Department of Oncologic Sciences at the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine. Internationally recognized for his work in tumor immunology, Hwu is best known for helping launch the field of gene-modified T cells and publishing research on the first chimeric antigen receptor directed against cancer.

Hwu’s inventions and research have advanced the development of cellular therapies that harness the body’s own immune system to recognize and attack cancer. His patented work in chimeric receptor genes contributed to the foundation for modern CAR T-cell therapy, a revolutionary approach that has reshaped treatment for certain blood cancers and continues to be studied for solid tumors. By combining antibody-like specificity with immune-cell activation, his work helped transform ordinary immune cells into targeted therapeutic agents capable of identifying and destroying cancer cells with greater precision.

His research spans cancer vaccines, adoptive T-cell therapies, immune resistance, T-cell receptor-engineered therapies, tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte therapies, and genetically engineered immune cells. His laboratory continues to develop novel immunotherapies for melanoma, pancreatic cancer, triple-negative breast cancer, glioblastoma, colorectal cancer, and other difficult-to-treat cancers. Hwu holds 12 issued U.S. patents related to cancer immunotherapy and cellular therapy innovation, and his work has helped spur advances in immuno-oncology, biotechnology, and next-generation personalized cancer treatments.

In recognition of his contributions, Hwu has received numerous honors, including the NCI Center for Cancer Research Federal Technology Transfer Award, the Chinese American Hematologist/Oncologist Network Lifetime Achievement Award, the Vince Lombardi Cancer Foundation’s Leaders for A Cure Award, and the University of South Florida President’s Medallion. He is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the National Academy of Inventors. He has authored more than 330 peer-reviewed manuscripts, chapters, and books, and lectures nationally and internationally on tumor immunology and cancer immunotherapy.

Hwu earned his medical degree from The Medical College of Pennsylvania, completed internal medicine training at The Johns Hopkins Hospital, and completed a fellowship in medical oncology and immunology at the National Cancer Institute. Since joining Moffitt in 2020, he has strengthened the institution’s role as a global leader in cancer care, research, and innovation, while expanding access to patients across Florida. Through his inventions, leadership, and mentorship, Hwu continues to advance new possibilities for cancer patients and inspire the next generation of physician-scientists and innovators.