Lisa A. Kachnic, MD, one of the nation's leading radiation oncologists and a pioneer of new approaches to optimize the effectiveness of radiation therapy, has been named chief of the Radiation Oncology Service at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center, and Professor and Chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. She also serves as Associate Director for Cancer Network Strategy in the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Dr. Kachnic's combined focus on clinical excellence, technological innovation, and patient-centered research continues to advance the field of radiation oncology. She is widely recognized for gastrointestinal research that has transformed the standard of care for several cancers by integrating novel radiation delivery techniques.

A past president of the American Board of Radiology, Dr. Kachnic is internationally known for her clinical trial leadership positions in the National Cancer Institute and its cooperative group research bases. She currently serves as Vice Chair of the Radiation Oncology Committee and Co-Chair of the Ano-Rectal Subcommittee for the SWOG Cancer Research Network research base, for which she is the multi-modality executive officer, as well as NRG Oncology's Associate PI of their NCORP (NCI Community Oncology Research Program and chair of the NCORP's Cancer Control Committee.

Here at Columbia, she is contact PI of Columbia's NCORP and is co-PI of several NCI training grants for residents and early career faculty.

Dr. Kachnic comes to Columbia from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, where she was Chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology.