UAMS’ Fen Xia, M.D., Ph.D., Named Fellow of the American Society of Radiation Oncology

By Marty Trieschmann

Xia is among 27 distinguished cancer specialists in the United States to be inducted into ASTRO’s 2022 Class of Fellows, which includes physicians from Stanford, Yale, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the National Cancer Institute.

“We are so proud of Dr. Xia and her achievements,” said Michael Birrer, M.D., Ph.D., Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute director and UAMS vice chancellor. “She runs one of the best radiation oncology departments in the United States.”

The ASTRO Fellows program recognizes individuals who have made substantial contributions to the Society and to the field of radiation oncology through research, education, patient care and service to the field. Since its inception in 2006, the Fellows designation has been awarded to just 421 of ASTRO’s 10,000 members worldwide.

As a radiation oncologist at UAMS, Xia specializes in treating tumors of the central nervous system and stereotactic radiosurgery. She also leads a research laboratory at the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute that conducts federally funded research on the replication stress response and DNA damage repair mechanisms in normal and tumor cells after radiation therapy or chemotherapy.

Xia received her medical degree from Suzhou Medical College in Suzhou, China, and a doctorate in cancer biology from the Harvard School of Public Health. She completed her residency at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. She is board-certified in radiation oncology.

“On behalf of ASTRO, I commend these outstanding physicians and scientists for their far-reaching contributions to radiation oncology, including their leadership in advancing cancer research, education and clinical care to improve patient outcomes,” said Laura A. Dawson, MD, chair of the ASTRO Board of Directors.

UAMS is the state’s only health sciences university, with colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Professions and Public Health; a graduate school; a hospital; a main campus in Little Rock; a Northwest Arkansas regional campus in Fayetteville; a statewide network of regional campuses; and eight institutes: the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute, Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute, Psychiatric Research Institute, Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, Translational Research Institute, Institute for Digital Health & Innovation and the Institute for Community Health Innovation. UAMS includes UAMS Health, a statewide health system that encompasses all of UAMS’ clinical enterprise. UAMS is the only adult Level 1 trauma center in the state. UAMS has 3,275 students, 890 medical residents and fellows, and five dental residents. It is the state’s largest public employer with more than 12,000 employees, including 1,200 physicians who provide care to patients at UAMS, its regional campuses, Arkansas Children’s, the VA Medical Center and Baptist Health. Visit www.uams.edu or uamshealth.com. Find us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube or Instagram.

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