David Gius, MD, PhD, officially takes the helm as director of the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center
After months of anticipation — and months of preparation — David Gius, MD, PhD, has officially arrived. Effective July 1, 2026, Gius assumes the role of director of the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center, bringing a nationally recognized research portfolio, a deeply personal commitment to the community and a bold vision for the "Cancer Center of tomorrow."
"Our ultimate goal should be to provide not just outstanding, but superlative care to each and every person in our region," said Gius. "If anyone in our community has an aggressive cancer, we will provide the clinical trials, experimental drugs, the newest therapies, and most importantly, hope."
Highly anticipated arrival at pivotal moment
David Gius, MD, PhD. Photo/Colleen Kelley/UC Foundation.
Gius joins UC from the Mays Cancer Center, home to UT Health San Antonio MD Anderson Cancer Center, after a highly competitive national search. He brings his lab, two National Institutes of Health (NIH) R01 grants and two active clinical trials for women with high-risk breast cancer — adding significant research momentum to a Cancer Center already accelerating toward National Cancer Institute (NCI) designation.
His arrival follows months of widespread anticipation throughout the enterprise. Since his appointment was announced in February 2026, the Cancer Center has been laying the groundwork for his transition so he can hit the ground running on day one.
That foundation is already formidable. The University of Cincinnati Cancer Center has increased its cancer research funding to nearly $31.5 million and enrolled more than 3,000 patients in clinical trials since 2020 — including becoming the first site in the Midwest to enroll patients in a landmark Phase 2 pancreatic cancer vaccine trial. This mRNA-based approach showed a 25% cure rate in Phase 1 results, compared with the current standard of barely 5%. Since 2020, the community has contributed more than $55 million in philanthropic support through the UC Foundation, fueling elite recruitment, expanded research and the $131 million Blood Cancer Healing Center.
"Dr. Gius is a transformational leader whose career reflects excellence in research, clinical innovation and service to patients, and we are incredibly excited for his official arrival today," said Gregory C. Postel, MD, dean of the College of Medicine, Christian R. Holmes professor, executive vice president for health affairs at UC and chair of the UC Health Board of Directors. "As he takes the helm, we also extend our deepest gratitude to Syed A. Ahmad, MD, whose foundational work in developing our research enterprise and his recent stewardship as interim director have been instrumental in preparing us for this next phase of our journey toward NCI designation."
A first-generation leader
As a first-generation college student born and raised in Chicago to Italian immigrant parents, Gius brings to Cincinnati not only a distinguished career but also a lifelong understanding of what community means — and of what is owed to the people who make it up.
During a career spanning the NCI, Northwestern University and UT Health San Antonio MD Anderson Cancer Center, Gius has pioneered research identifying the sirtuin tumor suppression gene family, fundamentally advancing the scientific understanding of the link between aging and cancer. He is a recipient of the 2024 American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Mentorship Award and has mentored more than 70 trainees, many of whom now hold prominent faculty positions nationwide.
In addition to serving as Cancer Center director, Gius now holds an academic appointment in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the UC College of Medicine, where he is a professor.
Building the Cancer Center of tomorrow
Gius arrives with a clear plan to meet the rigorous expectations of NCI designation — a process he knows intimately, having reviewed more than 75 NCI study sections throughout his career.
Among his priorities are improving continuity of care for childhood cancer survivors as they transition into adulthood, while advancing research to understand and address the long-term effects of cancer treatment. He also plans to deepen the Cancer Center's integration of advanced digital technology — developing custom platforms to enhance the patient experience rather than relying on off-the-shelf solutions.
Above all, Gius is focused on harnessing the full power of the Cancer Center's coalition — the combined expertise of UC, UC Health and Cincinnati Children's, one of the nation's top-ranked children's hospitals for cancer care — so the whole is truly greater than the sum of its parts.
"We are going to improve the quality of care for our patients and the depth and breadth of our research through strategic recruitment and by empowering current faculty to elevate their contributions," Gius said. "Our job is to raise the floor and push for a higher ceiling."
Under Gius' leadership, the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center is well-positioned to ensure that no one in Greater Cincinnati ever feels the need to leave their community for world-class cancer care.
About the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center
Leveraging cutting-edge research, active community engagement and a dedication to training the next generation of cancer researchers and providers, the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center is working to reduce the incidence, disparities and societal consequences of cancer. The Cancer Center forms a formidable coalition of expertise boasting a membership of more than 250 researchers and physician-scientists from the University of Cincinnati, a Top 35 public research university, UC Health, the region's academic health center, and Cincinnati Children's, one of the top children's hospitals in the country and the top-ranked children's hospital for cancer care by U.S. News & World Report. With a robust portfolio of peer-reviewed cancer research grants, the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center stands at the forefront of discovering innovative approaches for cancer prevention, detection, diagnosis, treatment and survival. Learn more at cancer.uc.edu.
Featured photo at top: David Gius, MD, PhD. Photo/Colleen Kelley/UC Foundation.
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