Siteman Leader Installed as President of Society of Gynecologic Oncology

Matthew Powell, MD, to head national efforts to advance innovative gynecologic cancer care for patients

Matthew A. Powell, MD, the Ira C. and Judith Gall Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at WashU Medicine and a nationally recognized physician-scientist who treats patients at Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and WashU Medicine, has been installed as president of the Society of Gynecologic Oncology (SGO).

With more than 3,000 members, the organization brings together gynecologic oncologists, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, patient advocates and other experts dedicated to advancing innovative, high-quality, equitable and comprehensive gynecologic cancer care. Among this distinguished group of leaders, Powell has emerged as a trusted voice, recognized by his peers nationwide for his commitment to progress and excellence in the field.

He began his term at the conclusion of the 2026 SGO Annual Meeting on Women’s Cancer after having served as president-elect for the previous two years.

“Being elected to SGO leadership by colleagues from across the country is a tremendous privilege,” said Powell, who specializes in ovarian, cervical and endometrial cancers. “I am committed to using this opportunity to support the Society and its members in driving progress in gynecologic oncology, always keeping our focus on better treatment, better outcomes and better experiences for our patients.”

Outside of the SGO, Powell also serves as chair of the NRG Oncology Uterine Corpus Cancer Subcommittee, which focuses on developing and testing innovative advanced therapies and technologies for patients with uterine cancer. He also has been a member of the boards of the Foundation for Women’s Cancer and the Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG) Foundation.

For the past 15 years, Powell has been named a Castle Connolly Top Doctor, a recognition of excellence in clinical care, education and research for the top 7% of practicing U.S. physicians. He is board-certified in both gynecologic oncology and obstetrics and gynecology.

Powell’s clinical research interests are primarily in the diagnosis and treatment of uterine and ovarian cancers with chemotherapy and radiation. He also studies pharmacologic treatment of preinvasive abnormalities of the uterine cervix to help some patients avoid surgery and loss of fertility. Powell’s laboratory research focuses on endometrial cancer etiology and tumor marker development.

At this year’s SGO Annual Meeting on Women’s Cancer, held April 10-13, he presented on the lasting positive effects of a chemotherapy-immunotherapy treatment, dostarlimab in combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel, for patients diagnosed with primary advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer.

Powell was senior author and lead U.S. investigator for the underlying research, including a paper titled “Dostarlimab for Primary Advanced or Recurrent Endometrial Cancer,” published in 2023 in the The New England Journal of Medicine.

He will serve as SGO president until the conclusion of the 2027 Annual Meeting on Women’s Cancer.