Akila Viswanathan to Serve as Interim Director of the Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences

Dear Colleagues,

We are delighted to announce that Akila Viswanathan, M.D., currently the executive vice chair of radiation oncology and molecular radiation sciences, has agreed to serve as interim director of the Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences.

She replaces Ted DeWeese, M.D., who was recently named vice dean for clinical affairs and president of the Clinical Practice Association.

Dr. Viswanathan received her bachelor’s degree, master’s degree in science, and master’s degree in public health from Harvard University, and her medical degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. She completed her clinical training in radiation oncology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. Dr. Viswanathan served for many years as an attending physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and as a member of the faculty of Harvard Medical School. She joined Johns Hopkins in 2016 as professor of radiation oncology, director of the Division of Gynecologic Radiation and executive vice chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology.

Dr. Viswanathan has focused on improving treatment for patients with gynecologic malignancies. She is the author of more than 160 publications and serves on the editorial board of the journals Brachytherapy and Gynecologic Oncology. Among Dr. Viswanathan’s many national and international roles, she has served as chair of the education committee of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology, and president and chairman of the American Brachytherapy Society.

We deeply appreciate Dr. Viswanathan’s willingness to serve as interim director of radiation oncology and molecular radiation sciences. Please join us in offering congratulations and appreciation.

Sincerely,

Paul B. Rothman, M.D.
Dean of the Medical Faculty
CEO, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Kevin W. Sowers, M.S.N., R.N., F.A.A.N.
President, Johns Hopkins Health System
EVP, Johns Hopkins Medicine