Tampa General Hospital’s Dr. Gustavo Rivero Leads Translational Research for Hematologic Malignancies

Internationally recognized leukemia expert joins TGH Cancer Institute

and USF Health to drive innovation in genomics, health equity and precision oncology.

Tampa, FL (January 22, 2026) Tampa General Hospital (TGH) is strengthening its leadership in blood cancer research and precision oncology with internationally recognized physician-scientist Dr. Gustavo Rivero appointed to the TGH Cancer Institute as director of Translational Research for Hematologic Malignancies, a group of disorders that affect the bone marrow and blood cells. Rivero also serves as associate professor in the Division of Hematology and Oncology at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine.

Rivero brings a deep portfolio of translational research, academic leadership and clinical excellence to the cancer institute. Previously, he served as Leukemia Program director at the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center at Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, D.C., and as associate professor at Baylor College of Medicine, Waco, Texas, in both the Division of Hematology & Oncology and the Translational Biology & Molecular Medicine Program. A physician-scientist, Rivero trained at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), Bethesda, Maryland, and the National Cancer Institute (NCI), Bethesda. Rivero is known for advancing genomic and immunologic approaches to acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN).

“Dr. Rivero is a world-class translational investigator who strengthens our mission to integrate innovation and scientific rigor into every aspect of cancer care,” said Dr. Eduardo M. Sotomayor, vice president and executive director of the TGH Cancer Institute. “His leadership in genomics, clinical trial design and health equity research positions us to accelerate our pursuit of National Cancer Institute designation.”

At Baylor, Rivero pioneered the use of genome and exome sequencing in leukemia care and led the first clinical trial investigating selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in low-risk MDS. At Georgetown, he uncovered genetic differences in AML patients of African ancestry that challenged conventional risk classification — findings that now inform a new disparity-focused research hub he is launching at Tampa General.

Since arriving in Tampa, Rivero has initiated high-impact collaborations across the academic health system, including:

• Investigating how human papillomavirus (HPV)-related genomic reprogramming may drive AML, in collaboration with the Global Virus Network, whose international headquarters are hosted at USF.
• Working with Dr. David Swoboda, chief of the Leukemia Program at the TGH Cancer Institute, to identify genomic and immunosuppressive signatures in HPV-positive hematologic cancers.
• Establishing a genomic disparity research hub in partnership with USF College of Public Health and the Community Outreach & Engagement Program.
• Developing an Institutional Review Board (IRB) infrastructure to review and approve biomarker discovery and investigator-initiated trials.

“Dr. Rivero has already proved to be a catalytic force in expanding our translational science capacity,” said Dr. Ivan Borrello, director of the Multiple Myeloma, Bone Marrow Transplant and Cell Therapies Program at the TGH Cancer Institute. “His curiosity and collaborative spirit are energizing our programs and creating meaningful opportunities for scientific breakthroughs.”

Rivero has submitted two Florida Innovative Cancer Funding Program proposals, transferred investigational samples from Baylor to Tampa General for further study, and been actively involved in the planning of the 2025 and the 2026 Annual Hematologic Malignancies Symposiums, co-hosted by TGH and the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine.

“I joined Tampa General because of the opportunity to build something transformative — not just for patients in Tampa, but for patients everywhere,” Rivero said. “We are focused on closing disparities, advancing science and delivering therapies that are both precise and equitable.”

“Dr. Rivero exemplifies what the future of oncology looks like — deeply scientific, collaborative across disciplines and relentlessly focused on the patient,” said Dr. Abraham Schwarzberg, executive vice president and chief of oncology at Tampa General, president of the Tampa General Provider Network, and co-vice president of Clinical and Translational Research for the TGH | USF Health Office of Clinical Research. “His work will serve as a cornerstone in our long-term vision for translational excellence.”

The TGH Cancer Institute — one of Florida’s few cancer centers backed by academic medicine through its partnership with the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine — ranks among the nation’s top 10% of hospitals by U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hospitals 2025–2026. It holds accreditations from the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer, the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s Quality Oncology Practice Initiative, the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers from the American College of Surgeons, the Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy for excellence in stem cell and cellular therapy and American Society of Radiation Oncology Program for Excellence. The institute is a member of the Association of American Cancer Institutes, recognized for leadership in research, treatment, education, and outreach, and was named among Newsweek’s America’s Best Cancer Hospitals.