Dr. Navid Hafez is a board-certified medical oncologist at Oncura Health and serves as Director of Clinical Research at START Los Angeles, where he leads early-phase oncology research and works to expand access to innovative cancer therapies for patients across the greater Los Angeles community.

Dr. Hafez brings deep expertise in early-phase clinical trials, precision medicine, and thoracic malignancies. He previously served at The Angeles Clinic and Research Institute, a Cedars-Sinai affiliate, as well as at the Yale School of Medicine and Yale Cancer Center, where he was a member of the Early Therapeutics Division and an investigator within the NCI Experimental Therapeutics Clinical Trials Network (ETCTN).

Throughout his career, Dr. Hafez has been involved in numerous first-in-human and early-phase studies, including trials evaluating targeted therapies, immunotherapies, antibody-drug conjugates, and novel combination treatments. His work focuses on advancing new therapies and helping bring promising treatment options to patients earlier in their care journey.

A leader in precision oncology, Dr. Hafez has led biomarker-driven trials and multidisciplinary tumor boards aimed at matching patients with therapies based on the molecular characteristics of their disease. His research has been published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at national and international scientific meetings.

Dr. Hafez is also committed to improving access to clinical trials and advancing health equity. He holds a Master of Public Health and has contributed to initiatives focused on reducing disparities in cancer care and increasing diversity in clinical trial participation.

At START Los Angeles, in collaboration with Oncura Health, Dr. Hafez works alongside a dedicated research team to support physicians, sponsors, and patients through the delivery of high-quality early-phase clinical trials—helping bring cutting-edge cancer research closer to the communities it serves.