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Gopal
Ajay K. Gopal, MD
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Ajay K. Gopal, MD

Medical Oncology

  • Medical Director of Clinical Research, Hematology Malignancies/Hematology, Fred Hutch
  • Professor, Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutch
  • Professor, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Washington School of Medicine
  • Stephen Hans Petersdorf, MD Endowed Chair in Cancer Care, UW Medicine

About

Dr. Ajay Gopal is a board-certified medical oncologist and researcher at Fred Hutch specializing in blood cancers. His research focuses on developing targeted and lower-toxicity treatments for lymphoma, including therapies for older adults.


Background

Dr. Gopal is the medical director of Clinical Rsearch for Hematology Malignancies/Hematology at Fred Hutch. He treats patients with lymphomas and other blood cancers. His clinical expertise includes caring for patients undergoing blood and marrow transplant (BMT) as part of their treatment.

His research focuses on developing new and more precise treatments for lymphoma. One major area of his work is radioimmunotherapy, a targeted form of radiation in which antibodies deliver radioactive particles directly to cancer cells while limiting exposure to healthy tissue. He conducts clinical trials that incorporate radioimmunotherapy into new BMT preparation approaches.

Dr. Gopal also studies lower-toxicity treatments for patients with indolent (slow-growing) lymphomas, such as fenretinide, a synthetic drug derived from vitamin A that may help trigger cancer cell death. Another focus of his research is developing safe and effective curative therapies for older adults with lymphoma. Across his research areas, Dr. Gopal has authored more than 100 scientific publications and regularly presents his work at national hematology conferences.

Area of Clinical Practice

Adult blood and marrow transplantation, hematologic malignancies


“We are united in the cause of finding your best treatment.”

— Dr. Gopal


What do you want patients to know about working with you?

Some patients come to my office armed with research they’ve unearthed on the Web about their condition. Others just show up feeling afraid, confused or both. However you are feeling, I will meet you where you are. It’s important for me to understand your disease, but I must also understand you — who you are outside of a person with cancer. I’ll share what the most current research has to say and what the standard care options are. We’ll work together as a team to improve your health and well-being and help you cope with your diagnosis.

Why is research important to you?

Improving patient care is what motivates my scientific research. I want to get results out of the lab as quickly as possible, so all patients have access to the newest treatments. For example, one project I’m working on is improving therapeutic options for older patients with lymphoma. The average age range of a person with this disease is 60 to 65. They represent half of all lymphoma patients, yet many are disqualified from participating in clinical trials due to toxicity issues. This means that these patients don’t always have access to the latest treatments. More research is vital to getting the most effective therapies to this group.

Diseases Treated

Blood Disorders

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Cutaneous Lymphoma

Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma

Follicular Lymphoma

Hodgkin Lymphoma

Low Grade Lymphom

Lymphoma

MALT Lymphoma

Mantle Cell Lymphoma

Marginal Zone Lymphoma

Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

Waldenström Macroglobulinemia

Developing novel targeted therapies for lymphomas with particular emphasis on radioimmunotherapy-based transplant conditioning regimens, low toxicity proapoptotic agents for indolent lymphomas, and safe curative regimens for older adults with lymphoma.

1. LLS T-NHL
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society; Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Scholar in Clinical Research
The major goal of this grant is to translate laboratory data into the first clinical trial using high doses of radioactively tagged anti-CD45 antibody to deliver potentially curative radiation to multiple T-NHL prior to stem cell transplantation.

2. P01 CA 044991
NIH/NCI; Therapy of Lymphoma/Leukemia with Monoclonal Antibodies
This program project grant is developing improved strategies for treating patients with hematologic malignancies using radiolabeled monoclonal antibodies. It contains human clinical trials of high dose radioimmunotherapy with stem cell transplantation for leukemia (Project 1), lymphoma (project 2) and for pretargeted radioimmunotherapy of hematologic malignancies (Project 3).

3. Project 2
Radiolabeled Therapy of Lymphoma; A phase I clinical trial of 90Y-labeled anti-CD45 BC8 antibody will be conducted in patients with lymphoma undergoing autologous stem cell transplantation. The optimal antibody protein dose of BC8 will be determined (Aim 1), direct comparisons of the biodistributions of CD45 and CD20 antibodies will be conducted (Aim 2), and the biodistributions of111In-BC8 with gamma camera imaging and 86Y-BC8 with PET imaging will be compared (Aim 3). Patients will be treated following the biodistribution studies with escalating doses of 90Y-BC8 to estimate the MTD in the setting of ASCT (Aim 4).

4. Project 3
Pretargeted Radioimmunotherapy for Leukemia & Lymphoma
Phase I clinical trials of pretargeted radioimmunotherapy using anti-CD45 antibody conjugated to streptavidin followed by radiolabeled DOTA-biotin will be conducted in the setting of non-hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) for leukemia (Aim 1) and lymphoma (Aim 2). In addition, we the biodistributions and dosimetries of radiobiotin pretargeted using anti-CD45 BC8-SA will be compared with those observed with directly radiolabeled anti-CD45 BC8 Ab in patients with leukemia and lymphoma (Aim 3).

5. SG035-0003
Funding Source: Seattle Genetics, Inc.
A pivotal study of SGN-35 in treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory Hodgkin Lymphoma.

6. SGN35-006
Funding Source: Seattle Genetics, Inc.
A phase II trial of treatment with SGN-35 in patients with CD30-positive hematologic malignancies who have previously participated in an SGN-35 study.

7. TREC C18083/6246
Funding Source: Cephalon Inc.
A Phase I trial of Bendamustine/Treanda (T), Rituximab (R), Etoposide (E), and Carboplatin (C) for patients with relapsed or refractory lymphoid malignancies and select untreated lymphomas.

8. BDG C18083/6250
Funding Source : Cephalon Inc.
A phase II trial of Bendamustine (B), Dexamethasone (D), and G-CSF (G) for peripheral blood hematopoietic stem cell mobilization.
The major goal of this project is to determine the ability of bendamustine to be successfully used as a PBSC mobilization.

9. Zevalin
Funding Source: Biogen-Idec
Zevalin-mini allo; The major goal of this project is to conduct a Phase II trial evaluating the efficacy of Non-myeloablative 90Y-anti-CD20 Antibody, Fludarabine, Low-Dose total body irradiation (TBI) and matched related allogeneic transplantation for relapsed indolent B-Cell Lymphoma.

10. Calistoga 101-09
Funding Source: Gilead Sciences, Inc.
A Phase II Study to assess the efficacy and safety of CAL-101 in patients with Indolent B-Cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Refractory to Rituximab and Alkylating Agents.
The major goal of this Phase 2 Study is to assess the efficacy and safety of CAL-101 in patients with relapsed or
refractory Hodgkin lymphoma.

11. PF-05082566
Funding Source: Pfizer
A Phase 1 Study of PF-05082566 as a single agent in patients with advanced cancer, and in combination with
rituximab in patients with Non-Hodgkin's LYMPHOMA (NHL)

12. PRP-002
Funding Source: BioMarin Pharmaceutical, Inc.;
A Phase 1/2, Two-arm, Open-label Study of Once Daily, Oral BMN 673 in Patients with Advanced Hematological
Malignancies.

13. Calistoga 101-11
Funding Source: Calistoga Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
A phase II study to assess the efficacy and safety of CAL-101-11 in patients with relapsed or refractory Hodgkin
lymphoma.

14. Zevalin
Funding Source: Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
A phase II trial of high-dose 90Y-Ibritumomab tiuxetan (anti-CD20) followed by fludarabine and low-dose total body irradiation and HLA-matched allogeneic hematopoietic transplantation for patients with relapsed or refractory aggressive B-cell lymphoma

15. Weekly Brentuximab Vedotin
Funding Source: Seattle Genetics
A phase II trial of weekly brentuximab vedotin in patients refractory to every 3 week bretuximab vedotin; The major purposes of this trial are to evaluate the ability of dose dense brentuximab vedotin (BV) to overcome BV resistance and to describe and quantify the patterns of CD30 expression in BV responders and non-responders. (Investigator-Initiated).

16. ZEST
Funding Source: Spectrum Pharmaceuticals
A Phase 3, Open-label, Multicenter, Randomized Study of Sequential Zevalin (ibritumomab tiuxetan) versus Observation in Patients at Least 60 Years of Age with Newly Diagnosed Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma in PET-negative Complete Remission After R-CHOP-like Therapy (ZEAL or ZEST); The major goal of this study is to evaluate the benefit of Zevalin consolidation for older adults with high-risk diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

17. Ibrutinib
Funding Source: Janssen Research & Development
An Open-Label, Multicenter, Single-Arm, Phase 2 Study of PCI-32765 (Ibrutinib) in Subjects with Refractory Follicular Lymphoma; A Phase II study to evaluate and quantify the response rate of patients with refractory FL receiving oral ibrutinib. Safety, survival, and pharmacokinetics will be evaluated.

Languages

English

Education and Experience

Fellowship, Hematology-Oncology, University of Washington

Residency, Internal Medicine, Duke University Medical Center

MD, Emory University School of Medicine

BS, Zoology, Duke University

Board Certification
Medical Oncology, 2000, 2010, American Board of Internal Medicine

Awards

Seattle Magazine's 2025 Top Doctors award
Dr. Gopal has been recognized as a Top Doctor in this peer-nominated award multiple years in a row.

Seattle Met's 2019 Top Doctors award
Dr. Gopal has been recognized as a Top Doctor in Seattle Met's annual survey multiple years in a row.

Clinical Trials

We make promising new treatments available to you through studies called clinical trials led by Fred Hutch physicians. Many of these trials at Fred Hutch have led to FDA-approved treatments and have improved standards of care globally. Together, you and your physician can decide if a study is right for you. 

Find a Clinical Trial Led by Dr. Gopal

Publications

Many of our Fred Hutch physicians conduct ongoing research to improve standards of patient care. Their work is evaluated by other physicians and selected for publication to the United States National Library of Medicine, the largest medical library in the world. See scientific papers this Fred Hutch physician has written. 

View Dr. Gopal's Publications

Your Care Team

At Fred Hutch, you receive care from a team of providers with extensive experience in your disease. Your team includes physicians, a patient care coordinator, a registered nurse, an advanced practice provider and others, based on your needs. You also have access to experts like registered dietitians, social workers, acupuncturists, psychiatrists and more who specialize in supporting people with cancer or blood disorders. 

Insurance

Fred Hutch accepts most national private health insurance plans as well as Medicare. We also accept Medicaid for people from Washington, Alaska, Montana and Idaho. We are working to ensure that everyone, no matter what their financial situation, has access to the care they need.

Stories

All news
Dr. Ajay Gopal named Stephen H. Petersdorf Endowed Chair in Cancer Care at UW Medicine Chair honors his dedication to improving patient care through research January 26, 2023
One family, two sides of cancer Basic scientist Dr. Wenying Shou’s parents were both treated for — and cured of — their cancers. The similarities end there. October 6, 2017

Contact Information

206.606.7031

206.606.1987