Posted: February 12, 2020
December 2, 2019—The International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer named Chandra P. Belani, MD, as its new chief science officer (CSO). As CSO, Dr. Belani will direct, guide, and support the IASLC scientific strategy, including, but not limited to, scientific research projects, publications, educational content for conferences, and educational offerings for members. In this role, Dr. Belani will also serve as a spokesperson for the IASLC at conferences, with the media, and in meetings with industry partners and donors.
Dr. Belani is currently professor of Medicine in the Division of Hematology/ Oncology in the Department of Medicine at the Penn State Hershey Medical Center—a post he will maintain while serving as the IASLC CSO. Dr. Belani has also worked in several positions at the Penn State College of Medicine as deputy director of the Penn State Cancer Institute, associate director of Clinical Research, and director of the Lung Cancer Program. Prior to that Dr. Belani served in multiple leadership positions at University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute in Pittsburgh, PA including director of Community Oncology, co-director of the Lung Cancer Program, and co-director of the Experimental Therapeutics Program. His research accomplishments in the areas of lung cancer and new drug development have led to changes in treatment paradigms. Interacting with experts across the world, he has developed and identified novel therapeutic strategies that have been approved and adopted as standards of care for the management of lung cancer.
“At the IASLC, the chief science officer position provides me with a unique opportunity to give, contribute, and grow the organization. I am embarking on this challenge with the spirit of dedication, inspiration, and motivation to improve the quality of the educational, research, and scientific programs in collaboration with the IASLC members worldwide,” Dr. Belani said. “In my role as CSO, I hope to develop a cohesive communications plan and ensure that the information released is consistent with the strategy at large, and work towards the ultimate goal of improving lung cancer outcomes.”
Dr. Belani is a graduate of Sawai Man Singh Medical College, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur, India. After completing his residency in internal medicine, he was a fellow in Hematology and Oncology at the University of Maryland from 1985 to 1988. He joined the faculty at the University of Maryland Cancer Center thereafter and served as assistant professor of Medicine and Oncology and director, Thoracic Oncology at the University of Maryland Medical School in Baltimore. He is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine and the American Board of Internal Medicine in Oncology and holds memberships in the IASLC, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, and the American Association of Cancer Research. ✦
