Starting today, Dr. David Gius is officially in the driver’s seat at the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center after a national search that drew leaders from top research programs across the country. A radiation oncologist and physician-scientist, Gius is known for translational work that links aging and metabolism to cancer biology. His arrival is the most visible step so far in the center’s multi-year effort to grow clinical trials and specialty cancer care for patients across the region.
In a Feb. 10 news release, the university announced Gius as director of the cancer center and noted that he will hold an academic appointment in the Department of Radiation Oncology. The announcement also said Gius will bring two active clinical trials and will transition his laboratory, including two NIH R01 grants, to Cincinnati, according to the University of Cincinnati.
From NCI To Northwestern To San Antonio
Gius comes to UC from the Mays Cancer Center at UT Health San Antonio MD Anderson, where he served as associate cancer center director for translational research and assistant dean for research, per UT Health San Antonio. His resume also includes leadership posts at the National Cancer Institute and a stint as director of the Women’s Cancer Program at Northwestern’s Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, roles noted in coverage by Becker’s.
Trials, Grants And The NCI Push
UC leaders have framed the hire as a strategic move to speed up the cancer center’s bid for National Cancer Institute designation and to widen access to clinical trials and specialty services across the region, according to the Cincinnati Business Courier. The university has also said Gius’ research portfolio, including active clinical trials and NIH funding, is expected to strengthen translational research capacity on campus, per the University of Cincinnati.
Research That Connects Aging And Cancer
Gius’ laboratory has published on mitochondrial regulation and therapy resistance, work that underpins his focus on how aging-linked changes in cells can drive tumor biology. One peer-reviewed study on mitochondrial acetylation and drug resistance is available through PubMed Central.
What This Means For Patients And The Region
University leaders say Gius will continue to see patients, concentrating on breast and lung radiation oncology, while helping to scale trial access so patients are less likely to leave the region for advanced care. UC Health already operates specialty services, including the Blood Cancer Healing Center and a rapid diagnostic clinic, that leaders describe as the clinical backbone for expanded clinical trials and patient pathways, according to UC Health.
Colleagues, funders and patients will now be watching to see whether Gius’ arrival translates into faster enrollment in trials, more federal research dollars and, ultimately, the NCI recognition UC has been pursuing. The university’s Feb. 10 announcement and today’s public welcome mark the start of that next phase.
