Dukagjin M. Blakaj, M.D., Ph.D. is a Professor and Vice Chair of Clinical Operations in the Department of Radiation Oncology at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute. Recently he became and endowed professor and is the Drs. Malati and Ganesh Potdar Professor in Radiation Oncology and Proton Therapy.  He also serves as the Director of the Head & Neck/Skull Base Division and leads the Spine Division. In addition, Dr. Blakaj is the Fellowship Director for Head & Neck-Intraoperative and CNS/Pediatric Radiation Oncology.

Dr. Blakaj maintains a busy clinical practice focused on head and neck, skin, skull base, and spine malignancies. He earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry and Chemistry from Wesleyan University (1999 and 2000), followed by a Master of Science in Biochemistry (2004), a Ph.D. in Biochemistry (2008), and an M.D. (2008) from Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Nationally, Dr. Blakaj serves on several committees for head and neck and skin cancer clinical trials, including those affiliated with the National Cancer Institute (NCI), Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG), and NRG Oncology. His Ph.D. research focused on the molecular, biochemical, biophysical, immunological, and cellular mechanisms of protein-ligand interactions involving the papillomavirus transcription factor E2.  At The James Cancer Center, Dr. Blakaj’s research interests are primarily clinical and translational, aiming to personalize cancer treatment based on molecular profiles of treatment resistance. His work focuses on identifying biomarkers for treatment response and immunotherapy efficacy in head and neck/skull base cancers. He is the principal investigator on a multi-PI immunotherapy and intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) clinical trial for head and neck cancers, as well as a prospective spine stereotactic radiosurgery trial. Since joining Ohio State in 2013, Dr. Blakaj has published over 135 research articles and secured more than $5 million in industry and institutional funding. He has been a faculty member in the Department of Radiation Oncology for twelve years.