The University of Kentucky College of Medicine is excited to announce that Eddy Shih-Hsin Yang, MD, PhD, will join the college as the new chair of the department of radiation medicine and the Markey Cancer Foundation Endowed Chair in Radiation Medicine.
Dr. Yang is joining the College of Medicine from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). There he serves as the deputy director and associate director for precision oncology at the UAB Hugh Kaul Precision Medicine Institute, co-leader of the Experimental Therapeutics Program at the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, and professor and vice chair for translational sciences in the department of radiation oncology.
In his role at UK, Dr. Yang will oversee all aspects of the department, including education and research activities, strategic priorities, and resource allocation, in close concert with college leadership and the vice president for research.
After completing his doctorate of medicine-research distinction and a doctorate of philosophy in molecular and cellular pharmacology at the University of Miami School of Medicine, Dr. Yang continued his training at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach, followed by residency at Vanderbilt University. He will bring his knowledge as a successful translational physician-scientist oncologist to the College of Medicine.
Dr. Yang investigates novel strategies to enhance the therapeutic ratio through rational combinations of targeted therapies. His grant-supported research focuses on genitourinary, breast, and head and neck cancers, which have translated into multiple investigator-initiated clinical trials. His work has been supported by various funding sources, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Department of Defense, the American Cancer Society, and pharmaceutical corporations. As a result of his track record of productivity, Dr. Yang has over 130 total publications and clinical translation of laboratory findings into investigator-initiated clinical trials.
In addition to his robust research portfolio, Dr. Yang is a valued mentor who serves on several NIH T32 training grants. This focus on learners will be an asset as the department continues the strong mentor-apprentice training model of its residency and fellowship programs.
“Dr. Yang brings forth an excellent portfolio of leadership, research, and mentorship strengths,” said Chipper Griffith, MD, MSPH, acting dean. “The University of Kentucky is an R1 research institution with a mission to address access to care and treatment of diseases that disproportionately affect Kentuckians. He will continue to drive positive change in the department and collaborate with the Markey Cancer Center, UK HealthCare, and the Office of Research to meet the goals of our matrixed organization.”
Dr. Yang enjoys watching sports outside the lab and clinic, especially Kentucky basketball, with his wife, Sarah, and three children: Edison, Caitlyn, and Madilyn.
The College of Medicine would like to thank Mahesh Kudrimoti, MD, for his leadership and advocacy during the interim period and the search committee for its dedicated efforts throughout the search process.