Berna Özdemir received her MD and her PhD degree in cancer biology from the University of Bern, Switzerland.

She did her postdoctoral training with Prof. Raghu Kalluri at Harvard University, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and at the University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center. Her research field was genetically engineered mouse models of pancreatic cancer and the contribution of cancer associated fibroblasts to cancer development and progression.

She completed her clinical training in medical oncology at Lausanne University Hospital. Her clinical specialty are melanoma and urogenital tumours. She is investigating sex and gender differences in cancer risk and outcome, with a focus on treatment toxicity.  

Berna Özdemir is currently working as a senior physician at Bern University Hospital and is a member of the ESMO Gender Medicine Task Force.