Penn Medicine Experts to Make Presentations at ASTRO

Sept. 22, 2026 — Leading experts in radiation therapy from the Abramson Cancer Center (ACC) of the University of Pennsylvania and Penn’s Perelman School of Medicine will give several presentations at the American Society for Radiation Oncology's (ASTRO) 68th annual meeting, Sept. 26-30, in Boston.  

At the meeting, Neha Vapiwala, MD, FACR, FASTRO, FASCO, the Eli J. Glatstein Professor in Radiation Oncology, will address attendees as president of ASTRO. She is the first Penn faculty member to lead the premier society for radiation oncology professionals and recently shared her insights for advancing a medical career at any stage — from applying to medical school to professional development.

Key Presentations

Dozens of Penn trainees and faculty members will participate in the meeting by presenting their research and moderating scientific, educational and workshop sessions. Additionally, James Metz, MD, chair of Radiation Oncology, will moderate the second Keynote Address with former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, MD, on Sept. 29. Penn presentation highlights include:

On Sept. 28, Ezekiel Emanuel, MD, PhD, Vice Provost for Global Initiatives at the University of Pennsylvania, will deliver the first keynote session, sharing his perspective in relation to the 2026 meeting theme: "Data to Dialogue: Communicating Radiotherapy's Value to Advance Care."

Also on Sept. 28, Neha Vapiwala, MD, FACR, FASTRO, FASCO, the Eli J. Glatstein Professor in Radiation Oncology, will share priorities and insights from ASTRO leadership to advance the value and perceptions of radiotherapy’s role in clinical care, and to address challenges and opportunities for strengthening professional development and patient outcomes.

Michelle Alonso-Basanta, MD, PhD, professor of Radiation Oncology and chief of the Central Nervous System Service, is presenting on “Advances in Multimodal Therapy for Glioblastoma: From Phase I to Phase III Trials” on Sept. 29. She is also co-moderator of the session and was recently named to the 2026 Class of ASTRO Fellows.

Visit the Penn Radiation Medicine Institute (PRMI) at Booth #1722 and the University of Pennsylvania Radiation Oncology Education Programs at Booth #1759.