Dr. Maria Hafez is a breast medical oncologist and clinical researcher dedicated to expanding access to specialized breast cancer care, including remote second-opinion consultations for patients in Syria. Her clinical approach combines evidence-based treatment planning with compassion, clarity, and respect for each patient's values and circumstances. She believes every patient deserves to benefit from the latest advances in breast cancer treatment, and often says that clinical research is the bridge between science and hope.
Dr. Hafez currently serves as Director of the Breast Cancer Program and Director of Oncology Clinical Trials and Research at St. Luke's University Health Network, and holds an appointment as Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University. In these roles she leads efforts to deliver advanced, integrated care for breast cancer patients and to broaden access to innovative therapies through clinical trials. Since 2023, she has also served as Director of Breast Clinical Research at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center of Thomas Jefferson University, where she leads multiple early-phase and precision-therapy clinical trials.
Born and raised in the United Arab Emirates, she completed her medical education at Gulf Medical University and Jordan University of Science and Technology in 2007. She completed her internal medicine residency at St. Joseph Mercy Oakland in Michigan, serving as Chief Resident in 2016, followed by a hematology and oncology fellowship at West Virginia University in 2020, where she also earned a Master of Clinical Science and Translational Research. She serves as an editorial fellow of the Journal of Immunotherapy and Precision Oncology.
Throughout her career, Dr. Hafez has focused on advancing breast cancer research, precision oncology, and medical education, contributing to oncology curricula and providing training and clinical care through missions and educational initiatives in Syria with the Syrian American Medical Society. A dedicated mentor to medical students in the United States and abroad, she has lectured at conferences across the United States, the Middle East, and beyond. Outside of medicine, she enjoys tennis, travel, exploring world cultures and cuisines, and listening to audiobooks.
