Neal Dunlap, M.D., on October 1 will become the new Chair of the University of Louisville Department of Radiation Oncology.

Dr. Dunlap served as Vice Chair and Professor of the Department of Radiation Oncology before accepting his new role. In addition, he serves as the Residency Program Director for the department since 2017 and Associate Director of the Head & Neck Multidisciplinary Clinic. Previously, he held an academic endowed chair appointment through Humana Professorship in Clinical Trials Research at the UofL Brown Cancer Center.

"The Department of Radiation Oncology consists of a group of dynamic faculty and staff who are committed to the advancement of cancer care in Louisville and the Commonwealth.  I am excited by the prospect of deepening our relationship with this community to expand access to advanced cancer care and clinical trials, train the next generation of physicians, and promote patient health and dignity," Dunlap said of accepting his new role.

Dr. Dunlap earned his medical degree from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. He completed his internship at University of Cincinnati’s University Hospital, and his residency at the University of Virginia Medical Center in Charlottesville. His clinical focus is primarily on multidisciplinary approaches to the treatment of lung cancer, esophageal cancer, head & neck cancers, and liver cancers. His research interests include the application of new treatment technologies in treatment of lung, liver, and head & neck malignancies to improve outcomes and reduce side effects. He currently has investigator-initiated trials open for the re-treatment of lung cancers after previous radiation and the evaluation of early radiation-induced lung injury with 4-dimensional CT. He is currently the institutional principal investigator for multiple national cooperative group studies through NRG/RTOG in the treatment of lung and head & neck cancers. He is member of the American Society for Radiation Oncology.

“I am confident that Dr. Dunlap has the leadership skills, experience and expertise to build on current strengths of the department and to also move it forward in innovative ways,” said Toni Ganzel, M.D., M.B.A., dean of the School of Medicine.