Radiation Oncology Residency Program – Faculty

Matthew Katz, MD
Title(s): Interim Chairman and Residency Program Director at Tufts Medical Center
Academic Appointment: Associate Professor, Tufts University School of Medicine (pending)
Clinical Specialties: Anal cancer, bladder cancer, brain metastases, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, esophageal cancer, larynx cancer, liver cancer, lung cancer, nasopharynx cancer, pancreatic cancer, rectal cancer, stomach cancer, tonsil cancer, tongue cancer.
Medical School: University of Massachusetts
Postgraduate Training: Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Board Certification: Radiation Oncology
Contact: Matthew.Katz@tuftsmedicine.org

John E. Mignano, MD, PhD 
Title(s): Radiation Oncologist; Associate Clinic Director
Academic Appointment: Associate Professor, Tufts University School of Medicine 
Clinical Specialties: Oncologic consultation for general radiotherapy and Gamma Knife, pediatric radiation oncology 
Medical School: University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine 
Postgraduate Training: Tufts Medical Center, Johns Hopkins Hospital; Alleghany General Hospital  
Board Certification: Radiation Oncology 

The Division of Medical Physics at Tufts Medical Center comprises two PhD prepared medical physicists, one Master’s prepared medical physicist and one Dosimetrist. The division is nationally recognized for its work in stereotactic radiotherapy and intensity modulated radiotherapy. Additionally, active research is done with new radioactive resources and their clinical application. 

Christopher S. Melhus, PhD, DABR
Title(s): Chief, Radiation Oncology Medical Physics
Academic Appointment: Associate Professor, Radiation Oncology, Tufts University School of Medicine
Clinical Specialties: Therapeutic Radiologic Physics, quality assurance, clinical protocols
Undergraduate: Reed College
Graduate: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
PhD: Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences & Technology
Post-graduate: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
Board Certification: Therapeutic Radiologic Physics

Cassandra Stambaugh, PhD., DABR
Title(s): Medical Physicist
Academic Appointment: Assistant Professor as Clinician/Educator, Tufts University School of Medicine
Clinical Specialties: Medical physics, quality control 
Undergraduate: Bates College
Graduate: Northeastern University
PhD: University of South Florida
Postgraduate Training: Mayo Clinic, Phoenix, Arizona
Board Certification: Therapeutic Radiologic Physics

The Lifespan Hospital system includes Rhode Island Hospital and Hasbro Children’s Hospital (719 bed tertiary care facility, principal teaching hospital of Brown University and dedicated Children’s Hospital), Women & Infants hospital (137 bed dedicated OB/GYN hospital for Brown University) and The Miriam Hospital (247 bed community hospital associated with Rhode Island Hospital.

David E. Wazer, MD, FACRO, FABS, FACR, FASTRO
Title(s): Radiation Oncologist-in-Chief; Chairman 
Academic Appointment: Chairman and Professor, Tufts University School of Medicine 
Clinical Specialties: Oncologic consultation for general radiotherapy, breast cancer, including post-lumpectomy radiotherapy for breast preservation, melanomas, including ocular melanoma, gastrointestinal carcinoma, brachytherapy, stereotactic radiotherapy and radiosurgery.  
Medical School: New York University School of Medicine 
Postgraduate Training: Tufts Medical Center; Roger Williams General Hospital, New York University 
Board Certification: Radiation Oncology 
Contact: david.md.wazer@tuftsmedicine.org  

Thomas A DiPetrillo, MD 
Title(s): Radiation Oncologist; Clinic Director, Radiation Oncology, Vice-Chairman 
Academic Appointment: Associate Professor, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University; Adjunct Associate Professor, Tufts University School of Medicine 
Clinical Specialties: Colorectal cancer, GI and GU cancers, Head and Neck, Thyroid and Thoracic Cancers 
Undergraduate: University of Vermont 
Medical School: University of Vermont School of Medicine 
Postgraduate Training: Tufts Medical Center 
Board Certification: Internal Medicine, Radiation Oncology

Jaroslaw T Hepel, MD , FACRO 
Title(s): Radiation Oncologist, Director, Stereotactic Radiosurgery, Director of Academic Affairs 
Academic Appointment: Assistant Professor, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Tufts University School of Medicine 
Clinical Specialties: Breast cancer, Neuro-oncology, Thoracic cancer 
Undergraduate: Cornell University 
Medical School: University of Rochester, School of Medicine 
Postgraduate Training: University of California, Irvine Medical Center; Tufts Medical Center 
Board Certification: Radiation Oncology 

Kara L Leonard, MD 
Title(s): Radiation Oncologist, Associate Director, Residency Training Program, 
Academic Appointment: Assistant Professor, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Tufts University School of Medicine 
Clinical Specialties: Breast cancer, Colorectal cancers, gastrointestinal cancers, Head, Neck and Thyroid cancers and Hematology/Oncology 
Undergraduate: Columbia University 
Graduate: Villanova University 
Medical School: Albany Medical College 
Postgraduate Training: Tufts Medical Center 
Board Certification: Radiation Oncology 

M Yakub A Puthawala, MD 
Title(s): Radiation Oncologist 
Academic Appointment: Associate Clinical Professor, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Adjunct Associate Professor, Tufts University School of Medicine 
Clinical Specialties: Inter-operative radiation therapy, gynecologic and head and neck oncology, high dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy and intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) 
Undergraduate: Gujarat College 
Medical School: Municipal Medical College 
Postgraduate Training: University of Massachusetts; University Hospital, San Juan PR 
Board Certification: Radiation Oncology

Esther Yu, MD   
Title(s): Radiation Oncologist, Clerkship Director 
Academic Appointment: Assistant Professor, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University; Adjunct Assistant Professor, Tufts University School of Medicine 
Undergraduate: Massachusetts Institute of Technology 
Medical School: Emory University School of Medicine 
Postgraduate Training: Tufts Medical Center 
Board Certification: Radiation Oncology 
Clinical Specialties: Breast cancer, central nervous system, gastrointestinal cancers, head and neck cancers, GYN cancers

Paul P Koffer, MD   
Title(s): Radiation Oncologist 
Academic Appointment: Assistant Professor, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University; Adjunct Assistant Professor, Tufts University School of Medicine 
Undergraduate: University of Pennsylvania 
Medical School: Temple University School of Medicine 
Postgraduate Training: Tufts Medical Center 
Board Certification: Radiation Oncology 
Clinical Specialties: Stereotactic radiosurgery, assessment and management of cancer pain 

Eric Klein, PhD
Chief, Medical Physics
Adjunct Professor, Co-Director
Medical Physics Program
University of Rhode Island

James Brindle, PhD
Associate Medical Physicist
Adjunct Assistant Professor
Medical Physics Program
University of Rhode Island