Department:
Gastrointestinal Cancer Department
Specialties:
Internal Medicine, Medical Oncology, Cancer Epidemiology
Prof. Ben Boursi is a leading specialist in Internal Medicine, Medical Oncology, and Radiotherapy at Sheba Medical Center. He earned his medical degree with distinction (cum laude) from the School of Medicine at Tel Aviv University.
He completed his residency in Internal Medicine at Sourasky Medical Center in Tel Aviv, followed by advanced subspecialty training in Gastrointestinal Oncology and Cancer Epidemiology at the University of Pennsylvania, USA.
Academic and Research Appointments
Prof. Boursi holds an academic position within the Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine at the School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University. In addition, he serves as an Associate Scholar at the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania.
Research and Scientific Contributions
Prof. Boursi’s research is centered on developing innovative therapeutic approaches in oncology, with a particular focus on the role of the microbiome in cancer development and treatment response.
He is internationally recognized as a leader in microbial modulation in cancer therapy and founded the ECOG-ACRIN Microbiome Working Group. His work has been published in leading scientific journals, including Science, and presented at major global oncology conferences, as well as featured in ASCO educational platforms and podcasts.
Alongside his research, Prof. Boursi is actively involved in academic teaching, delivering lectures on host–microbiome interactions at Tel Aviv University and Bar-Ilan University.
His research also extends to cancer prevention and early detection. He has developed predictive models for early diagnosis of colorectal and pancreatic cancers, which are currently undergoing clinical evaluation.
Clinical Expertise
Gastrointestinal oncology
Current Position
Physician, Gastrointestinal Cancer Department
Education and Training
B.Med.Sc (Summa cum laude), School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University
MD (Magna cum laude), School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University
Clinical and Research Fellowship in Gastrointestinal Oncology and Cancer Epidemiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania
Elective Training in Medical Oncology, MD Anderson Cancer Center
Elective Training in Medical Oncology, Mayo Clinic
Advanced Research Training, Weizmann Institute of Science
Board Certifications
Internal Medicine
Medical Oncology
Professional Memberships
Israeli Association of Clinical Oncology and Radiotherapy (ISCORT)
American Society for Cancer Research
Selected Publications
Immune-related adverse events as predictors of durable response to BRAF inhibitors in metastatic melanoma with BRAF V600 mutation
Ben-Betzalel G, Baruch EN, Boursi B, et al.
Re-evaluating the IDEA classification: Novel predictive and prognostic markers in stage III colon cancer
Margalit O, Mamtani R, Yang YX, Boursi B, et al.
Prognostic significance of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels in stage I–II colon cancer
Margalit O, Mamtani R, Yang YX, Boursi B, et al