UTMB’s new Division Chief of Hematology-Oncology is no stranger to the institution – but his return marks a new era for cancer care on campus.
A former resident, fellow, and longtime faculty member, Maurice Willis, MD, FACP, brings not only deep institutional knowledge but also a nationally respected leadership record in oncology, shaped by years of experience.
“UTMB helped make me the physician I am today,” he says. “Coming back is about giving back -- to the institution, the community, and the patients.”
Dr. Willis’s journey with UTMB began in the mid-1990s, when he arrived for his Internal Medicine residency. After six years in general practice, he returned to pursue advanced fellowship training in Oncology, eventually serving on UTMB’s faculty from 2006 to 2018.
In 2007 he was named medical director of the Hematology-Oncology clinics, and in 2010 he became the UTMB Oncology Fellowship Director – a role he held for over a decade.
When UTMB began its collaboration with MD Anderson Cancer Center in 2018, Dr. Willis continued to care for UTMB patients while officially being an MDA faculty member. After five years, he accepted an opportunity to lead cancer care as Division Chief at Saint Louis University.
At the time, Dr. Willis did not foresee a return to UTMB in his future. Though he had learned, trained, and practiced at UTMB throughout his formative years, he had accepted the role at St. Louis with the plan to spend the rest of his career there. When he received the invitation to head UTMB’s renewed Hematology-Oncology division, he was impressed by the energy he saw around the effort.
“I came back because of the deep commitment I now see from UTMB leadership – the president, the dean – to truly invest in cancer care,” he shares. “This is a recommitment to the community and to the patients who deserve comprehensive, state-of-the-art treatment close to home.”
His return to UTMB this summer comes with a clear mission: to rebuild and elevate the cancer program. He aims to build a program that offers the full spectrum of cancer therapies, including cellular therapies and clinical trials. Eventually, he hopes to offer CAR T-cell therapy, a cutting-edge treatment that involves modifying a patient's own immune cells to target and destroy cancer cells, and even transplants.
The division is currently undergoing a major transition, with Dr. Willis actively recruiting new faculty, starting with 6 to 8 over the next couple of years. Clinics are expanding in Galveston and League City, with future plans for expansion to Angleton-Danbury.
Dr. Willis also emphasized the importance of education and training. While expansion of the fellowship program is on the horizon, his immediate focus is stabilizing the division and ensuring high-quality care across UTMB campuses.
Beyond his clinical and academic credentials, Dr. Willis is deeply rooted in the Galveston community. A longtime resident, he has resumed coaching Little League football for the same team he supported years ago – an emblem of his enduring commitment to the people and families of the region. His return to UTMB is not just professional; it’s personal.
“I’m a community type of person,” he says. “I want to make sure our cancer patients here at UTMB have everything they need, so they don’t have to go anywhere else.”
 | Maurice Willis, MD, FACP, is the Division Chief of Hematology-Oncology at UTMB Health. The division currently has adult and pediatric clinic locations in Galveston and League City.. Learn more about hematology-oncology services at UTMB Health. |