Otis Brawley

Otis W. Brawley, M.D., is a globally-recognized expert in cancer prevention and control and holds the position of Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of Oncology and Epidemiology at Johns Hopkins University. In this role, he leads a comprehensive interdisciplinary research effort on cancer health disparities at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Bloomberg School of Public Health, and the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center. His work is dedicated to addressing racial, economic, and social inequalities in cancer prevention, detection, and treatment both in the United States and globally. He also directs community outreach programs for underserved populations across Maryland and is a vocal advocate for evidence-based medicine and healthcare efficiency to reduce waste and improve outcomes.

Dr. Brawley's research primarily focuses on developing and evaluating cancer screening strategies to ensure their effectiveness. He has been instrumental in championing efforts to reduce smoking and implement other lifestyle risk reduction programs, as well as providing critical support to cancer patients and focusing cancer control efforts in areas where they could be most effective. A key part of his current work at Johns Hopkins includes leading broad interdisciplinary research efforts on cancer health disparities.

Previously, Dr. Brawley served as Chief Medical and Scientific Officer and Executive Vice President at the American Cancer Society from 2007 to 2018. Before that, he was a professor of oncology and hematology, and deputy director for cancer control at the Winship Cancer Institute at Emory University in Atlanta, and the director of the Georgia Cancer Center at Grady Memorial Hospital from 2001 to 2007. He is a member of the National Cancer Institute Board of Scientific Advisors and the National Academy of Medicine.

Among his numerous awards, Dr. Brawley has received the U.S. Public Health Service Meritorious Service Medal and the Department of Defense Uniformed Services University Distinguished Service Award. He is a Fellow of the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the American College of Epidemiology, and a Master of the American College of Physicians. His academic credentials include a medical degree from the University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Medicine, followed by an internal medicine residency at University Hospitals of Cleveland, Case-Western Reserve University and a fellowship in medical oncology at the National Cancer Institute.