Lisa Kachnic: New Chair of Radiation Oncology

Lisa Kachnic, MD. Photo by Charles Manley.

Lisa 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 chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology at VP&S, chief of the radiation oncology service at NewYork-Presbyterian/CUIMC, and the Chu H. Chang Professor of Radiation Oncology. She joined Columbia Sept. 1, 2019. She also serves as associate director for cancer network strategy in the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Dr. Kachnic joined Columbia from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, where she was professor and chair of radiation oncology. She previously served on the radiation oncology faculty at Massachusetts General Hospital and Boston University School of Medicine. She is a fellow of the American Society for Radiation Oncology.

A past president and current governor 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 is widely recognized for gastrointestinal research that has transformed the standard of care for several cancers by integrating novel radiation delivery techniques. She is vice chair of the radiation oncology committee and co-chair of the ano-rectal subcommittee for the SWOG Cancer Research Network research base, where she serves as the multi-modality executive officer. 

Dr. Kachnic earned an undergraduate degree from Boston College and a medical degree from Tufts University School of Medicine. She completed a residency in radiation oncology at Harvard University, where she was chief resident in her last year of residency.