Shannon MacLaughlan is a board-certified gynecologic oncologist who completed her fellowship in gynecologic and breast oncology at Warren Alpert School of Medicine at Brown University. Following her fellowship, she was on the faculty at Stanford University School of Medicine, and she recently completed a Masters of Science degree in Integrative Medicine. She joins the University of Illinois – Chicago as the Director of the Division of Gynecologic Oncology, and will lead the newly formed Gynecologic Oncology Disease Team for the UI Cancer Center, which is dedicated to building a comprehensive translational and clinical research portfolio for women with gynecologic malignancies.

Dr. MacLaughlan has specialty training and extensive experience in “state-of-the-art” surgical and medical interventions for women with cancers of the ovary, uterus, cervix, vulva and vagina, including minimally invasive surgery, surgical cytoreduction, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, hormonal therapy and innovative treatment on clinical trials. She places the patient at the center of cancer care, rather than the disease, and embraces a holistic approach to caring for women with gynecologic cancers, recognizing the importance of treating a patient in the context of her own life, and that survivorship begins at the time of cancer diagnosis. She has developed a clinical niche for treating adolescents and young adults (AYA) with gynecologic cancers, recognizing their unique needs in clinical practice, and advancing the cause through her volunteer work with Teen Cancer America.

Dr. MacLaughlan’s passion for academic medicine is evidenced by her record of mentorship, curriculum development and scholarly activity. She led a Resident Research Task Force and developed a gynecologic oncology curriculum while at Stanford University, and has helped develop physician wellness curricula for residents and fellows at both the local and national level. She has received numerous accolades for her efforts in medical education, including the Dean’s Excellence in Teaching Award from Brown University and multiple teaching awards from Stanford University for clinical education, surgical teaching and mentorship, from both the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the Stanford Byers Center for Biodesign Innovation Fellowship.

Dr. MacLaughlan has published in many areas of gynecologic oncology and graduate medical education, including biomarker research, survivorship and palliative care, physician wellness, and leadership development. She is active in her profession at the national level, with memberships in the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the American Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) and the Western Association of Gynecologic Oncology (WAGO). For the Society of Gynecologic Oncology (SGO) she serves on the Wellness Task Force and Communications Committee.

MacLaughlan David S, Marjon N, Purington N, Han S, English D, Dizon DS. Palliative total pelvic exenteration (TPE) for gynecologic cancers: a cross-sectional study of current practices and review of the literature. Int J Gynecol Cancer. 2018 Nov;28(9):1796-1804.