Meet Travis Sims, M.D.
Travis T. Sims, M.D., M.P.H.
Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, Division of Surgery
About Dr. Travis T. Sims
Dr. Sims is assistant professor in the Department of Gynecologic Oncology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. As a gynecologic oncologist he is committed to providing exemplary evidence-based patient care, advancing his specialty through research/clinical investigation and educating the next generation of surgeons/oncologists. Dr. Sims earned a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience from the University of Michigan, a Doctor of Medicine from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and a Master of Public Health in Healthcare Management from The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health. He Dr. Sims completed a residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center/Parkland Memorial Hospital followed by a fellowship in Gynecologic Oncology at MD Anderson Cancer Center. His time as a fellow strengthened his skills as a clinician, surgeon, researcher, and educator.
His research interest expands upon his experience in translational research and clinical trial design with the goal of continuing to identify pertinent clinical problems and design trials that provide evidence-based solutions. Dr. Sims has a special research interest focused on characterizing the gut and tumor microbiome to elucidate its influence on carcinogenesis, prognosis and outcomes in gynecological cancer. He has authored and co-authored numerous articles in high-impact peer-reviewed journals on these and other subjects.
Dr. Sims is an active member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology and Society of Gynecologic Oncologists. In addition, he serves as reviewer for several journals including Gynecologic Oncology, and the International Journal of Gynecological Cancer.
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2022 | The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA, Fellowship, Gynecologic Oncology |
| 2019 | The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UT Health), Houston, TX, USA, MPH, Master of Public Health in Healthcare Management |
| 2018 | The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center/Parkland Memorial Hospital, Dallas, TX, USA, Residency, Obstetrics and Gynecology |
| 2014 | Northwestern University - Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA, MD, Medicine |
| 2010 | University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA, BS, Neuroscience |
Board Certifications
| 2022 | American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology |
Experience & Service
Other Appointments/Responsibilities
Clinical Specialist, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2020 - 2022
Member, The Society of Gynecologic Oncology (SGO) Diversity & Inclusion Committee, Houston, TX, 2020 - Present
President, Graduate Medical Education (GME) House Staff Senate - The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2019 - 2020
Vice President, Graduate Medical Education (GME) House Staff Senate- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2018 - 2019
Member, NW FSOM Curriculum Review Panel Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 2011 - 2012
Vice President, Student National Medical Association (SNMA) - Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 2010 - 2014
Honors & Awards
| 2024 | NIH National Cancer Institute - Paul Calabresi Career Development Award for Clinical Oncology K12 Scholar, NIH National Cancer Institute - Paul Calabresi Career Development Award for Clinical Oncology |
| 2022 | Clinical Resident/Fellow Excellence Award for Teaching, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| 2021 | Conquer Cancer American Society of Clinic Oncology (ASCO) Merit Award, ASCO |
| 2020 | Conquer Cancer American Society of Clinic Oncology (ASCO) Merit Award, ASCO |
| 2019 | MD Anderson First Annual PRIME TR Retreat (Program for Innovative Microbiome and Translational Research), UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas |
| 2019 | Felix Rutledge Society Meeting Poster Travel Award, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas |
| 2019 | Dr. Chien-Tien Hsu Fellow Scholarship in Gynecologic Oncology, Hsu Medical Education Foundation |
| 2018 | Excellence in Gynecologic Oncology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas |
| 2011 | Student LIFE Ambassador, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine |
| 2010 | Medical School Student Scholar Scholarship, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine |
| 2009 | Charles Ross Research Summer Fellowship Award, University of Michigan Medical School |
| 2008 | Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program Biomedical Summer Fellowship Award, University of Michigan |
| 2006 | Health Science Scholars Program, University of Michigan |
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Manzar GS, Alam MBE, Lynn EJ, Karpinets TV, Harris T, Lo D, Yoshida-Court K, Napravnik TC, Sammouri J, Lin D, Andring LM, Bronk J, Wu X, Sims TT, Mathew G, Schmeler KM, Eifel PJ, Jhingran A, Lin LL, Joyner MM, Zhang J, Futreal A, Klopp AH, Colbert LE. Exploratory analysis of the cervix tumoral HPV antigen-specific T-cell repertoire during chemoradiation and after brachytherapy. Brachytherapy 23(2):123-135, 2024. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 38129211.
- Foster KI, Handley KF, Glassman D, Sims TT, Javadi S, Palmquist SM, Saleh MM, Fellman BM, Fleming ND, Bhosale PR, Sood AK. Characterizing morphologic subtypes of high-grade serous ovarian cancer by CT: a retrospective cohort study. Int J Gynecol Cancer 33(6):937-943, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 36948527.
- Yoshida-Court K, Karpinets TV, Mitra A, Solley TN, Dorta-Estremera S, Sims TT, Delgado Medrano AY, El Alam MB, Ahmed-Kaddar M, Lynn EJ, Sastry KJ, Zhang J, Futreal A, Nick A, Lu K, Colbert LE, Klopp AH. Immune environment and antigen specificity of the T cell receptor repertoire of malignant ascites in ovarian cancer. PLoS One 18(1):e0279590, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 36607962.
- Handley KF, Sims TT, Bateman NW, Glassman D, Foster KI, Lee S, Yao J, Yao H, Fellman BM, Liu J, Lu Z, Conrads KA, Hood BL, Barakat W, Zhao L, Zhang J, Westin SN, Celestino J, Rangel KM, Badal S, Pereira I, Ram PT, Maxwell GL, Eberlin LS, Futreal PA, Bast RC, Fleming ND, Conrads TP, Sood AK. Classification of High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer Using Tumor Morphologic Characteristics. JAMA Netw Open 5(10):e2236626, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 36239936.
- Karpinets TV, Wu X, Solley T, El Alam MB, Sims TT, Yoshida-Court K, Lynn E, Ahmed-Kaddar M, Biegert G, Yue J, Song X, Sun H, Petrosino JF, Mezzari MP, Okhuysen P, Eifel PJ, Jhingran A, Lin LL, Schmeler KM, Ramondetta L, Ajami N, Jenq RR, Futreal A, Zhang J, Klopp AH, Colbert LE. Metagenomes of rectal swabs in larger, advanced stage cervical cancers have enhanced mucus degrading functionalities and distinct taxonomic structure. BMC Cancer 22(1):945, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 36050658.
- Colbert LE, El MB, Lynn EJ, Bronk J, Karpinets TV, Wu X, Chapman BV, Sims TT, Lin D, Kouzy R, Sammouri J, Biegert G, Delgado Medrano AY, Olvera A, Sastry KJ, Eifel PJ, Jhingran A, Lin L, Ramondetta LM, Futreal AP, Jazaeri AA, Schmeler KM, Yue J, Mitra A, Yoshida-Court K, Wargo JA, Solley TN, Hegde V, Nookala SS, Yanamandra AV, Dorta-Estremera S, Mathew G, Kavukuntla R, Papso C, Ahmed-Kaddar M, Kim M, Zhang J, Reuben A, Holliday EB, Minsky BD, Koong AC, Koay EJ, Das P, Taniguchi CM, Klopp A. Expansion of Candidate HPV-Specific T Cells in the Tumor Microenvironment during Chemoradiotherapy Is Prognostic in HPV16+ Cancers. Cancer Immunol Res 10(2):259-271, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35045973.
- Sims TT Jazaeri AA. Recruiting for diversity in immunotherapy trials for breast and gynecologic cancers: moving beyond under-representation. Int J Gynecol Cancer 31(11):1408-1409, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34551893.
- Lainé A, Sims TT, Le Saux O, Ray-Coquard I, Coleman RL. Treatment Perspectives for Ovarian Cancer in Europe and the United States: Initial Therapy and Platinum-Sensitive Recurrence after PARP Inhibitors or Bevacizumab Therapy. Curr Oncol Rep 23(12):148, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34751835.
- Biegert G, El Alam MB, Karpinets T, Wu X, Sims TT, Yoshida-Court K, Lynn EJ, Yue J, Medrano AD, Petrosino J, Mezzari MP, Ajami NJ, Solley T, Ahmed-Kaddar M, Klopp AH, Colbert LE. Diversity and composition of gut microbiome of cervical cancer patients: Do results of 16S rRNA sequencing and whole genome sequencing approaches align?. J Microbiol Methods 185:106213, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33785357.
- Sims TT, Boruta DM. Sentinel lymph node isolated tumor cells in early staged endometrioid endometrial cancer: Utility or futility?. Gynecol Oncol 161(2):331-332, 2021. PMID: 33902864.
- Sims TT, Colbert LE, Klopp AH. The Role of the Cervicovaginal and Gut Microbiome in Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia and Cervical Cancer. J Immunother Precis Oncol 4(2):72-78, 2021. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 35663536.
- Sims TT, El Alam MB, Karpinets TV, Dorta-Estremera S, Hegde VL, Nookala S, Yoshida-Court K, Wu X, Biegert GWG, Delgado Medrano AY, Solley T, Ahmed-Kaddar M, Chapman BV, Sastry KJ, Mezzari MP, Petrosino JF, Lin LL, Ramondetta L, Jhingran A, Schmeler KM, Ajami NJ, Wargo J, Colbert LE, Klopp AH. Gut microbiome diversity is an independent predictor of survival in cervical cancer patients receiving chemoradiation. Commun Biol 4(1):237, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33619320.
- El Alam MB, Sims TT, Kouzy R, Biegert GWG, Jaoude JABI, Karpinets TV, Yoshida-Court K, Wu X, Delgado-Medrano AY, Mezzari MP, Ajami NJ, Solley T, Ahmed-Kaddar M, Lin LL, Ramondetta L, Jazaeri A, Jhingran A, Eifel PJ, Schmeler KM, Wargo J, Klopp AH, Colbert LE. A prospective study of the adaptive changes in the gut microbiome during standard-of-care chemoradiotherapy for gynecologic cancers. PLoS One 16(3):e0247905, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33662003.
- Sims TT, Klopp AH. Intensified Systemic Therapy Regimens in Combination With Definitive Radiation for Treatment of Cervical Cancer. Semin Radiat Oncol 30(4):265-272, 2020. PMID: 32828382.
- Sims TT, Biegert GWG, Ramogola-Masire D, Ngoni K, Solley T, Ning MS, El Alam MB, Mezzari M, Petrosino J, Zetola NM, Schmeler KM, Colbert LE, Klopp AH, Grover S. Tumor microbial diversity and compositional differences among women in Botswana with high-grade cervical dysplasia and cervical cancer. Int J Gynecol Cancer 30(8):1151-1156, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32675252.
- Mitra A, Grossman Biegert GW, Delgado AY, Karpinets TV, Solley TN, Mezzari MP, Yoshida-Court K, Petrosino JF, Mikkelson MD, Lin L, Eifel P, Zhang J, Ramondetta LM, Jhingran A, Sims TT, Schmeler K, Okhuysen P, Colbert LE, Klopp AH. Microbial Diversity and Composition Is Associated with Patient-Reported Toxicity during Chemoradiation Therapy for Cervical Cancer. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 107(1):163-171, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 31987960.
- Perkins V, Moore K, Vesely S, Matsuo K, Mostofizadeh S, Sims TT, Lea J, Barnes D, Chen S, Carlson M, Roman L, Monk BJ, Holman LL. Incorporation of whole pelvic radiation into treatment of stage IVB cervical cancer: A novel treatment strategy. Gynecol Oncol 156(1):100-106, 2020. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31810653.
- Sims TT, Colbert LE, Zheng J, Delgado Medrano AY, Hoffman KL, Ramondetta L, Jazaeri A, Jhingran A, Schmeler KM, Daniel CR, Klopp A. Gut microbial diversity and genus-level differences identified in cervical cancer patients versus healthy controls. Gynecol Oncol 155(2):237-244, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31500892.
- Manders DB, Sims TT, Bailey A, Hwang L, Richardson DL, Miller DS, Kehoe SM, Albuquerque KV, Lea JS. The Significance of Para-Aortic Nodal Size and the Role of Adjuvant Systemic Chemotherapy in Cervical Cancer: An Institutional Experience. Am J Clin Oncol 41(12):1225-1230, 2018. PMID: 29782361.
- Manders DB, Sims TT, Albuquerque KV, Carlson MJ, Richardson DL, Kehoe SM, Miller DS, Lea JS. Emphasis on Systemic Therapy in Women With Pelvic Bone Metastasis at Time of Diagnosis of Cervical Cancer. Am J Clin Oncol 41(11):1137-1141, 2018. PMID: 29521650.
Abstracts
- Sims TT, Ramogola-Masire D, Ngoni K, et al. An analysis of tumor microbial diversity and composition between women with cervical cancer in Botswana and the United States. Gynecol Oncol, 2021.
- Sims TT, Sood AK, Westin SN, Fellman B, Unke J, Rangel K, Hilton T, Fleming N. Correlation of HRD status with clinical and survival outcomes in patients with advanced-stage ovarian cancer. Poster Presentation. 2021. American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, 2021, 2021.
- Biegert G, Karpinets TV, Wu X, El Alam MB, Biegert G, Karpinets TV, Wu X, El Alam MB, Sims TT, Yoshida-Court K, Lynn E, Yue J, Medrano A, Petrosino J, Mezzari MP, Ajami NJ, Solly T, Ahmed-Kaddar M, Colbert LE, Klopp AH, Yoshida-Court K, Lynn E, Yue J, Medrano A, Petrosino J, Mezzari MP, Ajami NJ, Solly T, Ahmed-Kaddar M, Colbert LE, Klopp AH. Diversity and Composition of Gut Microbiome of Cervical Cancer Patients by 16S rRNA and Wholemetagenome Sequencing. Research Square, 2020.
- El Alam, Sims TT, Kouzy R, et al. Adaptive changes in the gut microbiome during standard-of-care chemotherapy for gynecologic cancers. bioRxiv online, 2020.
- Sims TT, El Alarm MB, Karpinets T, et.al. Gut microbiome diversity as an independent predictor of survival in cervical cancer patients receiving chemoradiation. J Clin Oncol, 2020.
- Sims TT, El Alam MB, Karpinets TV, et al.. Gut microbiome diversity is an independent predictor of survival in cervical cancer patients receiving chemoradiation. medRxxiv online, 2020.
- Chapman BV, Karpinets T, Sims TT, Biegert G, Wu X, Medrano A, Eifel P, Jhingran A, Lin L, Ramondetta L, Futreal A, Jazaeri A, Frumovitz M, Schmeler K, Yue J, Mitra A, Court K, Solley T, Mathew G, Ahmed-Kaddar M, Zhang J, Klopp A, Colbert LE. Dynamic evolution of cervical cancer mutations during chemoradiation using novel sampling approach. BioRxiv preprint, 2019.
- Sims, TT, Colbert LE, Zheng J, Hoffman KL, Ramondetta LM, Jazaeri AA, Frumovitz M, Jhingran A, Schmeler KM, Daniel-MacDougall CR, Klopp AH. Gut Microbial Diversity and Genus-level Differences Identified in Cervical Cancer Patients versus Age and BMI Matched Healthy Controls. Proceedings of the 2019 Society of Gynecologic Oncology Annual Meeting on Women’s Cancer; Gynecol Oncol, 2019.
- Perkins V, Matsuo K, Mostofizadeh S,Sims TT, Lea JS, Carlson MJ, Roman LD, Monk BJ, Barnes DM, Chen S, Moore KN, Holman LL.. Combining whole pelvic radiation with chemotherapy in stage IVB cervical cancer: A novel treatment strategy. Gynecol Oncol, 2017.
- Liu C, Sims TT Kehoe S. Risk-Reducing Salpingo-Oophorectomy for BRCA carriers: is there a benefit to combined breast surgery?. Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologist, 2017.
- Sims TT, Lavanya PP, Miller D, Lea JS, Carlson M. Considering Closed Incision Negative Pressure Therapy for Obese Patients with Gynecologic Malignancies. Proceedings of the 2017 Annual Meeting of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologist, 2017.
- Perkins V, Carlson M, Sims TT, Lea JS, Chen S, Monk B, Moore K, Holman LL. The Potential Role of Pelvic Radiation in Stage IVB Cervical Carcinoma. Gynecol Oncol, 2016.
- Sims TT, Fallen TJ, Dungan JS, Shulman LP. Testing for Familial BRCA1-2 Mutations: Implications for Genetic Counseling and Risk Assessment. Proceedings of the Sixty- Second Annual Meeting of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologist, 2014.
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified August 28, 2024