Meet Dr. Osipov
Lead Physician
Vittitoe Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund
Associate Professor of Medicine & board-certified GI medical oncologist at Cedars-Sinai Cancer Center
Biography
Arsen Osipov, MD is an Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology at Cedars-Sinai Cancer, where he serves as Medical Director of Pancreatic Cancer, Medical Director of Multidisciplinary Cancer Programs & Integration, and Program Lead of the Pancreas Multidisciplinary Clinic (PMDC) and Precision Medicine Program. He is a board-certified medical oncologist specializing in gastrointestinal malignancies, with a primary clinical and research focus on Pancreatic cancer.
Dr. Osipov earned his Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and Cell Biology and Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of California, San Diego, followed by his Doctor of Medicine from Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine. He completed internal medicine training at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and the West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and a fellowship in medical oncology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He also holds adjunct academic appointments at Johns Hopkins University and UCLA.
Clinically, Dr. Osipov is recognized for developing and scaling a flagship same-day pancreas multidisciplinary clinic model that has treated hundreds of patients annually and significantly improved access to guideline-directed, coordinated care. This work has been published in high-impact peer-reviewed journals and has become a national model for multidisciplinary oncology delivery.
Scientifically, Dr. Osipov leads and collaborates on translational research programs focused on tumor biology, immune resistance, and precision therapeutics in pancreatic cancer. His research integrates clinical trial development, molecular profiling, AI-driven biomarker discovery, and novel therapeutic strategies, including investigator-initiated trials and perioperative treatment paradigms. His overarching mission is to close the gap between scientific discovery and real-world patient outcomes in pancreatic cancer.
“Craig Vittitoe was not just my patient, he was a dear friend. From the very beginning, every visit with Craig was special. He was an exceptional patient, but more importantly, an exceptional person. He defied the odds. He reset the statistics. And in doing so, he taught me lessons that no textbook, trial, or dataset ever could.
I learned a tremendous amount from Craig, not only about cancer, but about courage, perseverance, and what it truly means to live fully in the face of uncertainty. One of my most prized possessions in life is a recording his daughter, Ashley, shared with me, taken during the final weeks of Craig’s life. In it, he speaks about our relationship. It is something I treasure deeply and return to often, a reminder of the human connection at the heart of medicine.
In my office, I also keep Craig’s pickleball medal displayed. He was an avid player, and remarkably, he continued to play while on chemotherapy and through significant complications. He played anyway. That medal is far more than an object, it is a symbol of absolute strength, perseverance, and a refusal to give up. I keep it where I can see it every day to remind myself, my team, and my trainees of who Craig was and of the principles he embodied.
My bond with Craig transcended the traditional patient–physician relationship. It became a friendship, and ultimately something deeper, a bond rooted in mutual respect, gratitude, and love for him and his family. I think about Craig often. His spirit continues to guide my work, and his example reinforces why we push forward in cancer research: to honor patients like him by carrying their strength, determination, and hope into everything we do.”