Dr. Mekhail Anwar is an accomplished physician-scientist bridging the fields of electrical engineering and radiation oncology to revolutionize cancer care. He currently serves as Associate Professor in Residence in both the Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences Department at UC Berkeley and the Radiation Oncology Department at UCSF. Dr. Anwar earned his BA in Physics from UC Berkeley where he graduated as University Medalist and valedictorian, followed by a PhD in Electrical Engineering from MIT. After completing his MD and residency in Radiation Oncology at UCSF, he joined the faculty in 2014, establishing a unique research trajectory that integrates semiconductor technology with clinical oncology.
His pioneering work focuses on developing chip-scale imaging systems that enable cellular-level visualization of cancer within the human body, addressing a fundamental challenge in oncology - identifying all tumor cells and monitoring patient response to treatment. Dr. Anwar has created microfabricated sensors smaller than a pin's head and thinner than a human hair using standard fluorophores and novel inorganic nanoparticles, effectively placing the physician inside the patient. His NIH New Innovator Award-supported research has advanced integrated circuit-based platforms that monitor real-time tumor responses to immunotherapy from within the tumor itself. These innovations represent a paradigm shift in cancer imaging, moving beyond traditional electrical interfaces to communicate directly with molecules and cells, the fundamental drivers of disease states.
Leading an ARPA-H project to advance the VISION imaging platform into clinical applications, Dr. Anwar collaborates closely with clinical teams to develop tools for even the most challenging cancers, including pancreatic and liver tumors using targeted radiotherapy and radiosurgery. His laboratory's work has been recognized with multiple prestigious awards, including the Department of Defense Prostate Cancer Research Program Physician Research Award and the NIH Trailblazer Award in 2019 for his work developing chip-scale nanoparticle imaging technologies. Driven by a vision of precision, personalized medicine, he continues to develop novel approaches at the intersection of integrated circuit design and cancer therapy. Dr. Anwar's translational research program aims to transform cancer treatment from an organ-based approach to a cellular-level precision intervention, fundamentally changing how physicians understand and combat cancer.
