Radiation Biology & Research Program

About The Program

The mission of the
Radiation Biology & Research Program
is to broadly support radiation biology research and education in the MGH Department of Radiation Oncology as well as the Cancer Center.

The Program serves as a platform for research collaborations, idea exchanges, and resource sharing, with the overarching goal of promoting team science across the main disciplines of radiation oncology – clinical, biology, and physics.

The Program is committed to advancing the biological basis for cancer treatment with radiation, which will lead to better outcomes for our patients.

Director
Henning Willers, MD
Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology, Harvard Medical School

“In 1991, I started my medical thesis in radiation biology and quickly fell in love with the field. Having been blessed with inspiring teachers & mentors, from Michael Baumann, Simon Powell and Herman Suit to Kathy Held, I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity afforded by this Program to promote radiation biology research and training. It is truly a pleasure to team up with so many talented investigators, educators, and staff here at the MGH.”

Associate Director
Li Lan, MD PhD
Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology, Harvard Medical School

“I have devoted my research career to understanding the cellular responses to different types of DNA damage, especially the lesion induced by ionizing radiation. My lab has pioneered studies on the roles of RNA in DNA repair, promoting the development of new RNA-targeted cancer therapies. I am committed to advancing radiation biology research, educating the next generation of radiation biologists, and developing novel radiation and targeted cancer treatments.”

Associate Director
Clemens Grassberger, PhD
Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology, Harvard Medical School

“My goal is to understand how to design radiotherapy treatments in the era of molecular targeted agents and immunotherapy. In this context the purpose of the radiotherapy regimen is not only to maximize cell kill, but also to delay resistance development or maximize immune responses. For this purpose my lab uses mechanistic modeling and data-driven approches to study patient outcomes for insights to individualize future treatments.”

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