Education
Boston University School of Medicine
Residencies
Boston University School of Medicine - OB/GYN
Fellowships
Walter Reed National Military Medical Center - Gynecology Oncology
Clinical / Research Interests
Gynecologic Cancers
Gestational Tophoblastic Disease
Laparoscopic and da Vinci robotic surgery
Biography

Nicole Peña Chappell, MD, is a board-certified gynecologic oncologist with The GW Medical Faculty Associates and serves as the division director of gynecologic oncology at the GW Cancer Center. Dr. Chappell treats patients with a range of gynecologic cancers, including uterine, ovarian, cervical, vulvar, and vaginal, as well as gestational trophoblastic disease. She provides comprehensive surgical and medical cancer treatments. She is skilled in laparoscopic and da Vinci robotic surgeries, with a particular interest in surgical quality and clinical quality improvement initiatives.

Dr. Chappell completed a fellowship in gynecologic oncology at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. Before that, she completed her medical degree and residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Boston University. She earned her undergraduate degree at the University of Miami. Prior to joining The GW Medical Faculty Associates, Dr. Chappell served in the U.S. Air Force, completing her career in June 2021. She was the chief of gynecologic oncology at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, and also served as associate program director of the National Capital Consortium Fellowship in Gynecologic Oncology. She was an assistant professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences. During her military service, Dr. Chappell was promoted to the rank of Lt. Colonel and completed a deployment to the Darien Rain Forest in Panama in 2018 as an obstetrician/gynecologist. She also practiced as a gynecologic oncologist at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio for five years and served as the division director of gynecologic oncology. During her years of military service, she was recognized for her clinical care approach and leadership. She was awarded two Meritorious Service Medals, a Joint Service Achievement Medal, and Special Experience Identifiers from the Air Force Medical Service in recognition of excellence in clinical and academic teaching and for exceptional professional abilities.

An avid researcher, Dr. Chappell has been published in peer-reviewed journals and has presented her research at numerous national conferences. Dr. Chappell has served on multiple national committees and is a fellow and member of the Society of Gynecologic Oncology, American College of Surgeons, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

Clinical Trials

Primary Objective: to compare the non-inferiority of bilateral salpingectomy (BLS) with delayed oophorectomy to bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO) to reduce the risk of ovarian cancer among women with deleterious BRCA1 germline mutations.

To evaluate the relative sensitivity and specificity of HPV methylation testing from self-collected compared to clinician-collected samples for detection of cervical precancer.