Bryan Allen has been appointed chair and departmental executive officer of the Department of Radiation Oncology in the University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine.

Allen, a UI alumnus with expertise and accolades as a clinical and translational scientist, clinician, and educator and mentor, will begin his new role on July 1.

He has been a faculty member in the Department of Radiation Oncology since 2013 and serves as an associate professor and associate chair of translational research. Allen also is a co-leader of the Experimental Therapeutics Program at UI Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center.

“We are pleased that Dr. Allen has agreed to take on this important departmental leadership role,” says Brooks Jackson, UI vice president for medical affairs and the Tyrone D. Artz Dean of the Carver College of Medicine. “He is an accomplished scientist, clinician, teacher, and collaborator, and he is highly regarded in the radiation oncology department and across our college. He will be a great addition to our executive leadership team.”

Allen’s research expertise is in the area of radiation and chemotherapy effectiveness. As a practicing radiation oncologist, he develops and leads clinical trials, including a clinical study demonstrating that pharmacological ascorbate (vitamin C) is safe, well-tolerated, and effective when combined with standard chemoradiation therapy in treating cancers.

Allen earned MD and PhD (biochemistry) degrees through the UI Carver College of Medicine’s Medical Scientist Training Program in 2008. He completed residency training in radiation oncology at UI Hospitals & Clinics in 2013 before joining the medical school faculty. He earned an MBA from the UI Tippie College of Business in 2022.

Allen is board-certified in radiation oncology by the American Board of Radiation. He has received numerous awards throughout his career, including the Young Investigator Award from the Radiological Society of North America (2014); Educator of the Year from the Association of Residents in Radiation Oncology (2014-15 and 2020-21); and the J.W. Osborne Lecture Award from the Radiation Research Society (2019). Allen has published more than 125 research manuscripts, book chapters, and abstracts. He also is active in teaching and mentoring medical students, resident physicians, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate students.

John Buatti, who has led the Department of Radiation Oncology since it was established in 2001, will remain in the department as a faculty member and continue his research, education, and patient care activities. Radiation oncology was a division within the Department of Radiology before becoming its own department, and Jackson credits Buatti for his leadership over the past two decades.

“Dr. Buatti has been one of our longest-serving department chairs, and he’s been an outstanding leader and collaborator across our organization,” Jackson says. “It’s great to know that he will continue in the department as a faculty member.” 

Jackson also credits the search committee—led by Christopher Cooper and Colin Derdeyn—for its work.

“Serving on a search committee takes time, effort, and thoughtful consideration,” Jackson says. “The search committee members and the college’s administrative staff deserve recognition for their work that ultimately led to Dr. Allen’s appointment. It’s a great development for the department and the college.”