Rate My Professor David Thomas

Professor David Thomas is the inaugural Director of the Centre for Molecular Oncology at the University of New South Wales and Chief Science and Strategy Officer at Omico, which he founded to advance national precision medicine programs for advanced and early-onset cancers. A clinician-scientist and medical oncologist, he earned a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery in 1988 and a Doctorate of Philosophy in 1997 from the University of Melbourne, along with a Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians in 1997. His research focuses on applying genomic technologies to improve cancer understanding and management, particularly sarcomas, cancer genetics, precision medicine, and wellness for survivors. Thomas established the Australasian Sarcoma Study Group, developed Australia’s leading adolescent and young adult cancer unit at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, and previously headed the Genomic Cancer Medicine Laboratory at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research. He leads the International Sarcoma Kindred Study, the largest global study of genetic factors in sarcoma recruiting from 23 centers worldwide.

Thomas has authored over 250 publications in leading journals, including "Heritable defects in telomere and mitotic function selectively predispose to sarcomas" (Science, 2023), "Monogenic and polygenic determinants of sarcoma risk: an international genetic study" (Lancet Oncology, 2016), "Translational biology of osteosarcoma" (Nature Reviews Cancer, 2014), and "Pexidartinib versus placebo for advanced tenosynovial giant cell tumour (ENLIVEN): a randomised phase 3 trial" (Lancet, 2019). He led the first international study of denosumab in giant cell tumor of bone, contributing to FDA and TGA approvals, and co-led whole-body MRI screening research for Li-Fraumeni syndrome, influencing international guidelines. His impact includes enabling genomic profiling and targeted therapies for over 15,000 Australians via Omico. Awards include NSW Premier's Outstanding Cancer Researcher of the Year (2024), French-Australian Excellence Award in Health and Wellbeing (2024), NHMRC Level 3 Investigator grant (2021), and presidency of the Connective Tissue Oncology Society (2018). He has given public lectures such as the National Press Club address "Cancer: the modern plague" (2024) and serves as Scientific Co-Chair for the ESMO Sarcoma and Rare Cancers Congress 2026.