Michelle Rowland, MD, PhD, MPH

Michelle Rowland, MD, PhD, MPH, is a Gynecologic Oncologist at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria, Illinois, and an Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria. With a focus on advancing care for women with gynecologic cancers, Dr. Rowland specializes in clinical trials, precision medicine, and translational research, including the role of microbiomes in cancer recurrence, anti-angiogenic therapies, and novel treatments for ovarian, cervical, and endometrial cancers. Her work emphasizes patient-centered outcomes, symptom management, and innovative interventions like prehabilitation and targeted therapies.

Dr. Rowland’s career includes prior roles as an Assistant Professor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and Gynecologic Oncologist at Saint Luke’s Cancer Institute in Kansas City, Missouri. She has held research positions at institutions such as the University of Illinois, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and American Cancer Society, building expertise in epidemiology, infectious diseases, and oncology. A prolific researcher, she has authored or co-authored over 20 peer-reviewed publications in journals including Gynecologic Oncology, Journal of Clinical Oncology, and American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, with key contributions on neoadjuvant chemotherapy costs, precision medicine programs, and age-related factors in ovarian cancer treatment.

As Principal Investigator on multiple trials, including studies with Eli Lilly, Elucida Oncology, Nykode Therapeutics, and AbbVie, Dr. Rowland leads efforts in evaluating therapies like galunisertib, VB10.16 with atezolizumab, and mirvetuximab soravtansine for advanced gynecologic malignancies. She has presented extensively at national conferences such as the Society of Gynecologic Oncology (SGO) and Western Association of Gynecologic Oncologists (WAGO), earning recognition for her work on symptom burden, palliative care integration, and clinical predictors of toxicity.

An active member of professional societies including SGO, American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), Dr. Rowland is committed to OSF HealthCare’s mission of compassionate, transformative care. Her interdisciplinary approach bridges research and clinical practice to improve survival and quality of life for patients across the Midwest.

Areas of Interest

• Clinical trials and novel targeted therapies (e.g., antibody-drug conjugates like mirvetuximab soravtansine, immunotherapies, and agents for platinum-resistant ovarian cancer)
• Rare and aggressive gynecologic malignancies, particularly carcinosarcoma (including investigator-initiated and collaborative trials)
  Precision medicine and genomic profiling to identify targeted treatment options
• Ovarian cancer management, including neoadjuvant approaches, intraperitoneal chemotherapy in older patients, and microbiome shifts linked to recurrence
• Symptom burden, palliative care integration, and patient-reported outcomes
• Age-related disparities in treatment tolerance, clinical trial enrollment, and outcomes
• Toxicity predictors for anti-angiogenic and chemotherapy regimens
• Referral patterns and access to gynecologic oncology care

Education and Training

• Bachelors – 1999 Boston University
• Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Graduate – 2001 Emory University School of Public Health
• MPH Graduate – 2008 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
• PHD Graduate – 2010 University of Illinois College of Medicine MD

Professional Memberships

• American Society of Clinical Oncology
• Society of Gynecologic Oncology
• American Medical Association
• American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology
• American College of Surgeons
• Society of Laparoscopic and Robotic Surgeons
• American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists

Selected Publications

• Jacobson D, Moore KN, Gunerson C, Rowland M, Austin R, Prasad Honap T, Xu J, Warinner C, Sankaranarayanan K, Lewis CM. Shifts in gut and vaginal microbiomes are associated with cancer recurrence time in women with ovarian cancer. PeerJ, 2021 Jun: 17(9).

• Greenwade M, Moore KN, Gillen J, Ding K, Rowland M, Crim A, KleisB, and Gunderson C. Factors Influencing Clinical Trial Enrollment Among Ovarian Cancer Patients. Gynecologic Oncology, 2017 Sep;146(3):465-469

• Crim A, Rowland M, Ruskin R, Dvorak J, Greenwade M, Walter A, Gillen J, Ding, K, Moore KN, and Gunderson C. Evaluation of the efficacy and toxicity profile associated with intraperitoneal chemotherapy use in older women. Gynecologic Oncology. 2017 Aug;146(2):268-272.

• Gillen J, Gunderson C, Greenwade M, Rowland M, Ruskin R, Ding K, Crim A, Walter A, White E and Moore K. Contribution of age to clinical trial enrollment and tolerance with ovarian cancer. Gynecologic Oncology. 2017;145(1):32-36.

• Gunderson CG, Rowland M, Wright DL, Andrade KL, Mannel RS, McMeekin DS, and Moore KN. Initiation of a Formalized Precision Medicine Program in Gynecologic Oncology. Gynecologic Oncology. 2016; 141(1):24-8.

• Moore KN and Rowland M. Treatment Advances in Local-Regionally Advanced and Stage IVB/Recurrent Cervical Cancer: Can We Agree that More Isn’t Always Better? Journal of Clinical Oncology 2015; 33(19): 2125-8.

• Rowland M, Lesnock JL, Farris C, Kelley J and Krivak T. Cost-utility comparison of neoadjuvant chemotherapy versus primary debulking surgery for treatment of advanced stage ovarian cancer in patients ≥ 65 years old. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology 2015; 212(6):763(e1-8). 5

• Diuk-Wasser MA, Vourc’h G, Cislo P, Gatewood A, Melton F, Hamer S, Rowland M, Cortinas R, Hickling G, Tsao J, Barbour AG, Kitron U, Piesman J and Fish D. Human risk of infection with Borrelia burgdorferi, the Lyme disease agent, in the eastern United States. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 2012; 86(2): 320–327.

• Kies SM, Roth V, Rowland M. Association of third-year medical students first clerkship with overall clerkship performance and examination scores. JAMA 2010; 304(11): 1220-1226.

• Diuk-Wasser MA, Vourc’h G, Cislo P, Gatewood A, Melton F, Hamer S, Rowland M, Cortinas R, Hickling G, Tsao J, Barbour AG, Kitron U, Piesman J and Fish D. Field and climate-based model for predicting the density of host-seeking nymphal Ixodes scapularis, an important vector of tick-borne disease agents in the eastern United States. Global Ecology and Biogeography 2010; 19(4): 504–514.
• Rosenblatt KA, Gao DL, Ray RM, Rowland MR, Nelson ZC, Wernli KJ, Li W, and Thomas DB. Induced abortions and the risk of all cancers combined and site-specific cancers in Shanghai. Cancer Causes and Control 2006 Dec;17(10):1275-80.