Academic and Professional Journey

Gulley earned a PhD in microbiology from Loma Linda University (LLU) in 1994, followed by an MD in 1995, completing an intensive eight-year MD/PhD medical scientist training program. His dissertation focused on tumor immunology, laying the foundation for a career dedicated to advancing cancer treatment. Following his internal medicine residency at Emory University, he pursued a medical oncology fellowship at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), where he further refined his expertise.

He has held many significant leadership roles at the NCI. He has directed numerous clinical trials at the Center for Cancer Research, an intramural division of the NCI, and has earned tenure as an investigator. By 2013, he had become director of the medical oncology service and chief of the genitourinary malignancies branch. Currently, he serves as clinical director of the NCI and co-director of the Center for Immuno-Oncology.

Research and Contributions to Cancer Immunotherapy

Gulley is a prolific researcher, having served as an investigator on more than 200 clinical trials. He has been instrumental in the clinical development of multiple immunotherapeutic agents and has led multiple first-in-human immunotherapy studies through phase 3 clinical trials. He was the coordinating PI of an international trial of avelumab that led to regulatory approval. He was the PI of the first-in-human international study of a first-in-class agent, bintrafusp alfa, which targets PDL1 and TGF-beta.

He has authored over 350 scientific papers and book chapters, and his work has been cited more than 30,000 times. He has delivered hundreds of scientific presentations globally. His contributions have been recognized with prestigious honors, including the 2010 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers and the Hubert H. Humphrey Award for Service to America.

Gulley has had an enormous impact on his field. He has dedicated over a decade to the editorial board of the Journal for Immunotherapy of Cancer, most recently serving as its editor-in-chief. This year, he is serving as the president of the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer, shaping the direction of cancer immunotherapy research and clinical practice worldwide.

Mentorship and Institutional Impact

Beyond his research and work in the field of immunotherapy, Gulley has had a profound impact on the next generation of cancer immunotherapists. As program director of the NCI immunotherapy fellowship, he has trained numerous scientists and clinicians, some of whom now serve as faculty at LLU. His guidance has played a critical role in the LLU Cancer Center’s journey to become an NCI-designated Cancer Center. He continues to serve as a consultant to the LLUH Board of Trustees and remains an active member of the LLU Councilors, offering strategic counsel to LLU leadership.

Other Interests and Hobbies

His influence extends beyond academia and research into community service and global health initiatives. He is an active member of the Sligo Seventh-day Adventist Church, and commonly incorporates the principles of immunotherapy into his Sabbath School classes, from kindergarten to adults, to explain the relationship between faith in God and healthful living. He is head elder at Sligo and has started a network of all the head elders for the Adventist University campus churches in North America called the Bridge Builders.

In his community, he leads volunteer projects aimed at environmental conservation, including efforts to remove non-native invasive species from local parks.

Gulley is a lifelong traveler with a commitment to humanitarian efforts. He has worked in various regions of the world to support health care initiatives. His experiences growing up in Japan and the Philippines as a missionary child, as well as his service as a student missionary in Mexico, have shaped his global perspective. His upcoming travels include visits to the Holy Land, Turkey, Greece, and Uganda to support refugee health care efforts.

Gulley lives in Takoma Park, Maryland, with his wife, Trenise. They have two children, Devon and Kiera. He is an avid outdoorsman. He enjoys hiking, kayaking, and nature photography, activities that reflect his appreciation for the natural world and his commitment to a balanced life.