Bob T. Li

As the Global Head of Medical Affairs, Oncology, I lead an ambitious team that is helping to drive AstraZeneca’s vision to redefine the future of cancer care. By uniting our science-focused approach with robust evidence generation and strategic partnerships, we are dedicated to improving outcomes for patients and ultimately, our ambition is to eliminate cancer as a cause of death.

Prior to joining AstraZeneca, I worked in clinical medicine and as a medical oncologist for more than two decades. During that time, I served as a physician-scientist and Vice President, Global Research Affairs at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) in New York, and co-directed MSK’s multidisciplinary Thoracic Liquid Biopsy Program. I also taught and mentored future oncologists and healthcare leaders as a tenure-track associate professor at Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell University. My areas of expertise include lung cancers, solid tumour precision medicine, novel drug development and liquid biopsy technology.

With a strong passion for clinical research and clinical care, I have served as principal investigator for multiple pivotal trials of precision medicines that have helped to advance care in multiple cancer types. This research has led to more than 100 original articles published in prestigious scientific journals, including first and senior author publications in the New England Journal of Medicine, Nature, Nature Medicine, Lancet Oncology, Cancer Discovery and Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Beyond my work as an oncologist, I am a passionate cancer advocate for global collaboration and progress having served as MSK’s Physician Ambassador to China and Asia-Pacific, and Senior Fellow on Global Public Health at Asia Society Policy Institute’s Center for China Analysis. I am a co-founder of multi-stakeholder platforms such as the Bloomberg New Economy International Cancer Coalition and the Asia Society’s Cure4Cancer initiative. A vocal advocate for international regulatory harmonisation and an active participant in government discussions between the U.S., Australia and China on the future of cancer control, I am committed to closing the gaps in access to cancer care globally.

As an Australian medical oncologist, I earned my medical degree from the University of New South Wales and completed my Masters and research doctoral degrees from the University of Sydney and was a medical oncology clinical research fellow at Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney. I am a fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians.