Zachary S. Buchwald, MD, PhD
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RoleRadiation Oncology
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Specialty
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Research Program
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Practicing Since2020
Background
A radiation oncologist and physician-scientist, Zachary Buchwald, MD, PhD, specializes in radiation and immunotherapy for cutaneous malignancies. He is actively involved in both basic and clinical research. In his laboratory, he studies ways to enhance the immune response against melanoma and other cancers using radiation.
Dr. Buchwald earned his PhD in immunology and his medical degree from St. Louis University in St. Louis, Missouri. He completed his residency in radiation oncology at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, serving as co-chief resident in his final year. During residency, he completed the prestigious Holman Pathway research fellowship.
Titles & Roles
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Associate Professor, Department of Radiation OncologyEmory University School of Medicine
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Assistant Director for Basic Research and Shared ResourcesWinship Cancer Institute of Emory University
Education & Training
Education
- Residency, Radiation Oncology, 2020Emory University School of Medicine
- Internship, Internal Medicine, 2016Emory University School of Medicine
- Medical Education, MD, 2015Saint Louis University School of Medicine
Research
Dr. Buchwald is actively involved in both basic and clinical research. In his laboratory, he studies how radiation can enhance the immune response against melanoma and other cancers. His work focuses on understanding how different T-cell subsets are stimulated by radiation, the role of the tumor-draining lymph node in this process, and how to improve it to help control disease in patients with locally advanced or metastatic cancer. He also investigates ways to overcome steroid-induced immunosuppression of the anti-cancer immune response using focal high-dose radiation and combination checkpoint blockade. His lab is exploring how radiation can modulate the immune response to viral infections and inflammatory diseases. He plans to continue translating these studies into clinical trials to improve long-term patient outcomes.
Grants
| Grant Number | Title |
|---|---|
| 1K08CA270401-01A1 | The role of stem-like CD8 T-cells in the abscopal response |
| 1R01CA301614-01 | Exploiting SAMHD1 in Directing Radiation and Immunologic Dynamics |
| 5K08CA270401-02 | The role of stem-like CD8 T-cells in the abscopal response |
| 5K08CA270401-03 | The role of stem-like CD8 T-cells in the abscopal response |
Publications
Dr. Buchwald has been published in a number of leading journals including Immunity, Cancer, JCI Insight, and Scientific Reports.
| Title/Journal | Authors | Publication Date |
|---|---|---|
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Personalizing chronotherapy of immune checkpoint blockade. Journal for immunotherapy of cancer |
S Ismail-Sutton, B Hughes, ZS Buchwald, NI Wreglesworth, R Dallmann, PF Innominato | 10/31/2025 |
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International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics |
J Bai, C Gong, YJ Hu, DW Bruner, MA Torres, ZS Buchwald, JY Lin | 08/01/2025 |
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Nature communications |
Y Shen, E Connolly, M Aiello, C Zhou, P Chappa, H Song, P Tippitak, T Clark, M Cardenas, N Prokhnevska, A Mariniello, I De Bruyker, MS Pagadala, VR Dhere, S Rafiq, AH Kesarwala, A Orthwein, SN Thomas, SL Zhang, MK Khan, JB Dixon, GB Lesinski, MC Lowe, H Kissick, DS Yu, CM Paulos, NC Schmitt, ZS Buchwald | 04/14/2025 |
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Scientific reports |
LN Liebman, Y Shen, ZS Buchwald, Z Nepiyushchikh, Z Qi, AJ García, JB Dixon | 01/28/2025 |
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Impact of race, ethnicity, and social determinants on outcomes following immune checkpoint therapy. Journal for immunotherapy of cancer |
RK Nayak, M Aiello, LM Maldonado, TY Clark, ZS Buchwald, A Chang | 10/26/2024 |
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Nature communications |
CS Jansen, MS Pagadala, MA Cardenas, RS Prabhu, S Goyal, C Zhou, P Chappa, BT Vo, C Ye, B Hopkins, J Zhong, A Klie, T Daniels, M Admassu, I Green, NT Pfister, SG Neill, JM Switchenko, N Prokhnevska, KB Hoang, MA Torres, S Logan, JJ Olson, EK Nduom, L Del Balzo, K Patel, SH Burri, AL Asher, S Wilkinson, R Lake, AH Kesarwala, KA Higgins, P Patel, V Dhere, AG Sowalsky, H Carter, MK Khan, H Kissick, ZS Buchwald | 10/14/2024 |
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Drug's Journey of a Thousand Papers Begins With a Single Step. JCO clinical cancer informatics |
PF Innominato, NI Wreglesworth, A Antonini, ZS Buchwald | 10/01/2024 |
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The Lancet. Haematology |
MK Khan, TH Nasti, JY Qian, TJ Kleber, JM Switchenko, JL Kaufman, AJ Nooka, MV Dhodapkar, ZS Buchwald, D Obiekwe, S Lonial, R Ahmed | 07/01/2024 |
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Clinical cancer research : an official journal of the American Association for Cancer Research |
A Mariniello, TH Nasti, DY Chang, M Hashimoto, S Malik, DT McManus, J Lee, DJ McGuire, MA Cardenas, P Umana, V Nicolini, R Antia, A Saha, Z Buchwald, H Kissick, E Ghorani, S Novello, D Sangiolo, GV Scagliotti, SS Ramalingam, R Ahmed | 05/01/2024 |
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Total scalp irradiation: A study comparing multiple types of bolus and VMAT optimization techniques. Journal of applied clinical medical physics |
TM Davis, K Luca, LJ Sudmeier, ZS Buchwald, MK Khan, X Yang, E Schreibmann, J Zhang, J Roper | 04/01/2024 |
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Journal for immunotherapy of cancer |
JS Patel, Y Woo, A Draper, CS Jansen, JW Carlisle, PF Innominato, FA Lévi, L Dhabaan, VA Master, MA Bilen, MK Khan, MC Lowe, H Kissick, ZS Buchwald, DC Qian | 03/26/2024 |
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Research square |
Y Shen, E Connolly, M Aiello, C Zhou, P Chappa, H Song, P Tippitak, T Clark, M Cardenas, N Prokhnevska, A Mariniello, MS Pagadala, VR Dhere, S Rafiq, AH Kesarwala, A Orthwein, SN Thomas, MK Khan, J Brandon Dixon, GB Lesinski, MC Lowe, H Kissick, DS Yu, CM Paulos, NC Schmitt, ZS Buchwald | 03/06/2024 |
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NAR cancer |
W Daddacha, D Monroe, AJ Schlafstein, AE Withers, EB Thompson, D Danelia, NC Luong, F Sesay, SK Rath, ER Usoro, ME Essien, AT Jung, JG Jiang, J Hu, B Mahboubi, A Williams, JE Steinbeck, X Yang, ZS Buchwald, WS Dynan, JM Switchenko, B Kim, MK Khan, DL Jaye, DS Yu | 03/01/2024 |
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Molecular and cellular biology |
VM Luo, C Shen, S Worme, A Bhagrath, E Simo-Cheyou, S Findlay, S Hébert, W Wai Lam Poon, Z Aryanpour, T Zhang, RP Zahedi, J Boulais, ZS Buchwald, CH Borchers, JF Côté, CL Kleinman, JN Mandl, A Orthwein | 01/01/2024 |
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Oncoimmunology |
BLC Kinney, B Brammer, V Kansal, CJ Parrish, HT Kissick, Y Liu, NF Saba, ZS Buchwald, MW El-Deiry, MR Patel, BJ Boyce, AS Kaka, JH Gross, HM Baddour, AY Chen, NC Schmitt | 01/01/2024 |
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The expanding role of IAP antagonists for the treatment of head and neck cancer. Cancer medicine |
V Kansal, BLC Kinney, S Uppada, NF Saba, WA Stokes, ZS Buchwald, NC Schmitt | 07/01/2023 |
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Research square |
CS Jansen, RS Prabhu, MS Pagadala, P Chappa, S Goyal, C Zhou, SG Neill, N Prokhnevska, M Cardenas, KB Hoang, J Zhong, M Torres, S Logan, JJ Olson, EK Nduom, L Del Balzo, K Patel, SH Burri, AL Asher, S Wilkinson, R Lake, KA Higgins, P Patel, V Dhere, AG Sowalsky, MK Khan, H Kissick, ZS Buchwald | 03/23/2023 |
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Statin drugs enhance responses to immune checkpoint blockade in head and neck cancer models. Journal for immunotherapy of cancer |
V Kansal, AJ Burnham, BLC Kinney, NF Saba, C Paulos, GB Lesinski, ZS Buchwald, NC Schmitt | 01/01/2023 |
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Immune checkpoint inhibitors and timing of administration - Authors' reply. The Lancet. Oncology |
DC Qian, ZS Buchwald | 02/01/2022 |
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Skin Microbiome and Treatment-Related Skin Toxicities in Patients With Cancer: A Mini-Review. Frontiers in oncology |
BN Richardson, J Lin, ZS Buchwald, J Bai | 01/01/2022 |
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The Lancet. Oncology |
DC Qian, T Kleber, B Brammer, KM Xu, JM Switchenko, JR Janopaul-Naylor, J Zhong, ML Yushak, RD Harvey, CM Paulos, DH Lawson, MK Khan, RR Kudchadkar, ZS Buchwald | 12/01/2021 |
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The Abscopal Effect: A Review of Pre-Clinical and Clinical Advances. International journal of molecular sciences |
JR Janopaul-Naylor, Y Shen, DC Qian, ZS Buchwald | 10/14/2021 |
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Immunotherapeutic Strategies for Head and Neck Cancer. Otolaryngologic clinics of North America |
ZS Buchwald, NC Schmitt | 08/01/2021 |
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International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics |
CB Hess, TH Nasti, VR Dhere, TJ Kleber, JM Switchenko, ZS Buchwald, WA Stokes, BD Weinberg, N Rouphael, JP Steinberg, KD Godette, DJ Murphy, R Ahmed, WJ Curran, MK Khan | 03/15/2021 |
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Advances in radiation oncology |
RS Prabhu, BE Turner, AL Asher, SR Marcrom, JB Fiveash, PM Foreman, RH Press, ZS Buchwald, WJ Curran, KR Patel, WG Breen, PD Brown, KR Jethwa, IS Grills, JD Arden, LM Foster, MA Manning, ZK Vaslow, SH Burri, SG Soltys | 01/01/2021 |
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Advances in radiation oncology |
RS Prabhu, MC Ward, JH Heinzerling, CD Corso, ZS Buchwald, R Dhakal, AL Asher, AL Sumrall, SH Burri | 01/01/2021 |
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Immunomodulatory Low-Dose Whole-Lung Radiation for Patients with COVID-19-Related Pneumonia. International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics |
CB Hess, ZS Buchwald, WA Stokes, T Nasti, J Switchenko, BD Weinberg, N Rouphael, JP Steinberg, KD Godette, DJ Murphy, R Ahmed, WJ Curran, MK Khan | 12/01/2020 |
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International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics |
S Tian, JM Switchenko, ZS Buchwald, PR Patel, JW Shelton, SE Kahn, RN Pillai, CE Steuer, TK Owonikoko, M Behera, WJ Curran, KA Higgins | 09/01/2020 |
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Advances in radiation oncology |
VR Dhere, S Tian, Z Buchwald, X Jiang, C Zhang, Z Chen, BR Eaton, HG Shu, WJ Curran, J Zhong | 01/01/2020 |
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