Dr. Atman Pai’s career began as a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Research Scholar in Michael Gottesman’s cell biology laboratory at the National Institutes of Health in 2000. This evolved into a focus in the radiation oncology sciences; his radiobiology training began in 2003, in the laboratories of James Mitchell and Kevin Camphausen of the National Cancer Institute, where he developed a phase II study of an adult high grade glioma radiosensitizer.
In 2007, he moved to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, where he focused on pediatric cancer and design of institutional and Children’s Oncology Group clinical trials. He authored protocols with primary focus on brain tumors, rhabdomyosarcoma and neuroblastoma. He continues to serve on national study group committees related to frontline clinical protocol development. While there, he conducted radiosensitization studies of multiple pediatric cancer histiotypes in an immunobiology laboratory, which are ongoing today.
With years of intensity modulated proton therapy (IMPT) experience at multiple high volume clinics, his current position combines pencil-beam proton radiobiology with clinical research at proton therapy centers around the globe. His goal is to develop novel pediatric studies employing safe, effective delivery of IMPT with molecularly targeted agents.
Dr. Pai is a native Texan and avid cyclist. His young daughters are also learning to follow in their father’s bike trails.