Education:

• Undergraduate at Whittier College in Whittier, CA (1993-1997, Bachelor of Arts, Biochemistry major)
• Medical Scientist Training Program at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN (1997-2005, MD, PhD in Immunology)
• Residency in Internal Medicine at Mayo Clinic (2005-2008)
• Medical Oncology fellowship at Mayo Clinic (2008-2011)

Professional Details:

• Associate Professor of Oncology
• Consultant in Medical Oncology at Mayo Clinic

Personal:

Dr. Block was born and raised in San Carolos, California. He and his wife, Christina, have three boys and one girl.

Research Focus:

Dr. Block is an immunologist and medical oncologist with an interest in understanding the mechanisms that influence anti-tumor immunity in patients with melanoma and ovarian cancer.  His research efforts have focused on clinical trials testing novel cancer vaccines and immunotherapies, along with identifying key pathways that alter the host immune response to tumors.  His goal is to develop and test strategies to reverse cancer-mediated immunosuppression and to promote effective anti-tumor immunity in ovarian cancer and melanoma patients.

He is primarily engaged in clinical trial-based research for patients with high-risk or metastatic melanoma.

Below are links to a few of the investigator-initiated melanoma trials that he is involved in.

MC1776 (NeoACTIVATE)

https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03554083

https://progress.standuptocancer.org/catalyst?team=neoadjuvant-melanoma

MC1577

https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03021460?term=MC1577&draw=1&rank=1