Lisa Singer, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor
Radiation Oncology
School of Medicine

She received a PhD in Bioengineering from the University of California, Berkeley and University of California, San Francisco in 2010, focusing on breast MRI, and then her MD from the University of California, San Francisco in 2012. She completed internship at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, residency at University of California, San Francisco and fellowship focusing on women's health at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. She then worked as an attending physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School for three years where she served as MR Medical Director and Assistant Professor in Radiation Oncology. Dr. Singer has worked on advancing the use of MRI for the care of patients with cancer for over 10 years and continues to develop this technology for the care of patients with breast cancer, lung cancer as well as other cancers.

Her research focuses on the use of imaging to improve our ability to 1) predict tumor response to treatment, and 2) to target tumors with radiotherapy. She has developed and led multiple clinical trials in this space. Prediction of tumor response earlier in a patient’s treatment course could allow for earlier changes in therapy, improving outcomes. Additionally, prediction of normal tissue toxicity at earlier timepoints could inform changes in radiation planning, reducing morbidity. She is also interested in developing novel methods to improve safety and education surrounding biomedical imaging and image-guided radiotherapy.

Together with her colleagues in medical oncology and surgery, she strives to provide exceptional, multidisciplinary care for all of her patients.

• Transitioning to Environmentally Sustainable, Climate-Smart Radiation Oncology Care.
  International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics 2022 Lichter KE, Anderson J, Sim AJ, Baniel CC, Thiel CL, Chuter R, Collins A, Carollo E, Berg CD, Coleman CN, Abdel-Wahab M, Grover S, Singer L, Mohamad O
• Environmentally sustainable brachytherapy care.
  Brachytherapy 2022 Lichter KE, Baniel CC, Anderson J, Bhatia R, Frick MA, Thiel CL, Gandhi S, Sarria GR, Bagshaw HP, Petereit D, Chino J, Grover S, Singer L, Hsu IC, Mohamad O
• Regional Nodal Management After Preoperative Systemic Therapy.
  Seminars in radiation oncology 2022 Singer L, Weiss A, Bellon JR, King TA
• Education in gynecological brachytherapy.
  International journal of gynecological cancer : official journal of the International Gynecological Cancer Society 2022 Fields EC, Kahn JM, Singer L
• Geographic differences in therapy for stage I non-small-cell lung cancer in older adults.
  Journal of surgical oncology 2022 Dezube AR, Mazzola E, Cooper L, Deeb AL, De-Leon LE, Singer L, Jacobson FL, Jaklitsch MT, Wiener D
• Clinical outcomes and dosimetric predictors of toxicity for re-irradiation of vaginal recurrence of endometrial cancer.
  Brachytherapy 2022 Lee LJ, Alban GM, Cheng T, Buzurovic I, Pretz J, Singer L, King MT
• Surgical complications and clinical outcomes after dose-escalated trimodality therapy for non-small cell lung cancer in the era of intensity-modulated radiotherapy.
  Radiotherapy and oncology : journal of the European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology 2021 Liu KX, Sierra-Davidson K, Tyan K, Orlina LT, Marcoux JP, Kann BH, Kozono DE, Mak RH, White A, Singer L
• Actualizing Risk-Adapted Thoracic Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy with MR Guidance
  Applied Radiation Oncology 2021 Singer L, Kann BH, Cagney DN, Leeman JE, Yom SS, Kozono D
• Rates of invasive disease and outcomes in NSCLC patients with biopsy suggestive of carcinoma in situ.
  Lung cancer (Amsterdam, Netherlands) 2021 Talcott WJ, Miccio JA, Park HS, White AA, Kozono DE, Singer L, Sands JM, Sholl LM, Detterbeck FC, Mak RH, Decker RH, Kann BH
• Definitive radiotherapy for vaginal recurrence of early-stage endometrial cancer: survival outcomes and effect of mismatch repair status.
  International journal of gynecological cancer : official journal of the International Gynecological Cancer Society 2021 Alban G, Cheng T, Adleman J, Buzurovic I, Pretz J, Singer L, King M, Lee L
• Development and Implementation of an Online Adaptive Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy Workflow for Treatment of Intracardiac Metastasis.
  Practical radiation oncology 2021 Shi DD, Liu KX, Hacker F, Hanna GJ, Kwong RY, Cagney DN, Mak RH, Singer L
• Use of a healthy volunteer imaging program to optimize clinical implementation of stereotactic MR-guided adaptive radiotherapy.
  Technical innovations & patient support in radiation oncology 2020 Boyle PJ, Huynh E, Boyle S, Campbell J, Penney J, Usta I, Neubauer Sugar E, Hacker F, Williams C, Cagney D, Mak R, Singer L
• Feasibility of deploying a U.S. simulation-based gynecological brachytherapy educational workshop to an international setting.
  Brachytherapy 2020 Damast S, Felder S, Fields E, Singer L
• 50 Gray is Not Enough.
  International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics 2020 Singer L, Lee LJ
• Simulation-based graduate medical education in MR-guided brachytherapy for cervical cancer.
  Brachytherapy 2020 Singer L, McLaughlin PY, Alban G, Joyner M, King M, Lee L
• A new development in ultrasound-compatible gynecologic brachytherapy simulators.
  Brachytherapy 2020 Fields EC, Joyner MM, Singer L, Todor D
• IJROBP
  Impact of Healthy Volunteer MR-Linac Imaging on Clinical Implementation of Stereotactic MR-Guided Online Adaptive Radiotherapy 2020 Boyle PJ, Huynh E, Sugar EN, Hacker FL, Boyle S, Usta I, Campbell J, Penney J, Bernal A, Williams CL, Cagney DN, Mak RH, Singer L
• IJROBP
  STAMPing out MRI Simulation Hazards with a System-Theoretic Accident Model and Processes Approach to Proactive Hazard Assessment 2020 Wong L, Huynh E, Mak RH, Leveson N, Singer L
• MRI in Radiation Oncology After the COVID-19 Pandemic.
  International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics 2020 Singer L, Marques A, Cagney DN, Kaza E
• Clinical Characteristics Associated With Stuttering Persistence: A Meta-Analysis.
  Journal of speech, language, and hearing research : JSLHR 2020 Singer CM, Hessling A, Kelly EM, Singer L, Jones RM
• A review of the role of MRI in diagnosis and treatment of early stage lung cancer.
  Clinical and translational radiation oncology 2020 Sim AJ, Kaza E, Singer L, Rosenberg SA
• Master Protocol Trial Design for Efficient and Rational Evaluation of Novel Therapeutic Oncology Devices.
  Journal of the National Cancer Institute 2020 Bitterman DS, Cagney DN, Singer LL, Nguyen PL, Catalano PJ, Mak RH
• Risk of Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis in Patients With Stage 4 or 5 Chronic Kidney Disease Receiving a Group II Gadolinium-Based Contrast Agent: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.
  JAMA internal medicine 2020 Woolen SA, Shankar PR, Gagnier JJ, MacEachern MP, Singer L, Davenport MS
• Low-Dose Adjuvant Cylinder Brachytherapy for Endometrioid Endometrial Cancer.
  Practical radiation oncology 2019 Alban GM, Buscariollo DL, Cheng T, Pretz J, Krechmer B, Buzurovic I, Singer L, King M, Lee L
• Development of a Multi-Institutional Simulation-Based Gynecologic Brachytherapy Curriculum.
  International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics 2019 Singer L, Damast S, Lin L, Taunk N, Lee LJ, Albuquerque K, Chino J, Petereit D, Joyner M, Fields E
• Pocket Radiation Oncology
  Esophageal Cancer 2019 Singer L, Brooke E, Gomez D
• Development and Implementation of a Simulation-Based Educational Workshop on Gynecological Brachytherapy: Pilot Study at a National Meeting.
  Practical radiation oncology 2019 Singer L, Braunstein S, Klopp A, Joyner M
• Quality Improvement Initiative to Improve Tobacco Cessation Efforts in Radiation Oncology.
  Journal of oncology practice 2019 Singer L, Sharee K, Boreta L, Silveira WR, Braunstein S, Fogh S
• Palliative radiotherapy near the end of life.
  BMC palliative care 2019 Wu SY, Singer L, Boreta L, Garcia MA, Fogh SE, Braunstein SE
• The Impact of MRI on Radiation Oncology Graduate Medical Education.
  Journal of the American College of Radiology : JACR 2019 Singer L, Rosenberg SA
• Toxicities of Radiation Treatment for Breast Cancer
  Considerations for Post-Mastectomy Radiation Therapy in the Setting of Breast Reconstruction 2019 Singer L, Wright J
• Residents' Views on Tobacco Cessation in Radiation Oncology.
  Journal of the American College of Radiology : JACR 2018 Singer L, Braunstein S, Singer CM, Silveira WR, Fogh S
• Handbook of Evidence-Based Radiation Oncology
  Cutaneous lymphomas 2018 Singer L, Garsa A
• Handbook of Evidence-Based Radiation Oncology
  Skin Cancer 2018 Singer L, Yom S
• Features of MRI stromal enhancement with neoadjuvant chemotherapy: a subgroup analysis of the ACRIN 6657/I-SPY TRIAL.
  Journal of medical imaging (Bellingham, Wash.) 2017 Olshen A, Wolf D, Jones EF, Newitt D, van ‘t Veer LJ, Yau C, Esserman L, Wulfkuhle JD, Gallagher RI, Singer L, Petricoin EF, Hylton N, Park CC
• Journal of Clinical Oncology
  Factors associated with palliative radiotherapy in the last 30 days of life 2017 Wu S, Singer L, Garcia MA, Fogh SE, Braunstein SE
• IJROBP
  Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI in monitoring changes in tumor-associated stroma during treatment with neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced breast cancer 2017 Singer L, Jones E, Newitt D, Kornak J, Hylton N, Park CC
• IJROBP
  Radiation within 30 Days of death: TEACHH score and ability to complete treatment 2017 Wu S, Singer L, Xu C, Gjyshi O, Fogh S, Braunstein S
• Journal of Clinical Oncology
  Role of emergent palliative radiation therapy in the care of patients with cancer 2016 Singer L, Zhang M, Braunstein S, Fogh S
• IJROBP
  A quality improvement study to improve assessment of patient readiness to quit tobacco prior to treatment with radiation therapy 2016 Singer L, Boreta L, Braunstein S, Fogh S
• Slant board immobilisation of head-and-neck radiotherapy patients who cannot tolerate a flat position
  Journal of Radiotherapy in Practice 2016 Qu S., Singer L., Chen J., Shugard E., Garsa A., Yom S.
• Xanthogranuloma in the heavily irradiated low neck in a patient with head and neck cancer.
  Journal of otolaryngology - head & neck surgery = Le Journal d'oto-rhino-laryngologie et de chirurgie cervico-faciale 2016 Singer L, Calkins SM, Horvai AE, Ryan WR, Yom SS
• Looking Ahead: Practicing Radiation Oncology in the Era of ICD-10.
  International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics 2015 Singer L, Braunstein S, Fogh SE
• IJROBP
  Quality improvement study on reducing time from new patient evaluation for bone metastasis to time of CT simulation 2015 Singer L, Chang J, Johnson J, Polishchuk A, Choi S, Fogh S
• Consolidative radiation therapy for extensive-stage small cell lung cancer.
  Translational lung cancer research 2015 Singer L, Yom SS
• IJROBP
  Tobacco cessation perspectives and practice among U.S. radiation oncology residents 2014 Braunstein S, Singer L, Silveira W, Fogh SE
• High-resolution diffusion-weighted imaging for monitoring breast cancer treatment response.
  Academic radiology 2013 Wilmes LJ, McLaughlin RL, Newitt DC, Singer L, Sinha SP, Proctor E, Wisner DJ, Saritas EU, Kornak J, Shankaranarayanan A, Banerjee S, Jones EF, Joe BN, Hylton NM
• 2012 ISMRM Annual Meeting Proceedings
  High-resolution DWI for characterizing breast tumor response to treatment 2012 Wilmes LJ, McLaughlin RL, Sinha S, Newitt DC, Singer L, Proctor E, Wisner D, Saritas EU, Shankaranarayanan A, Banerjee S, Joe BN, Hylton NM
• High-resolution diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging in patients with locally advanced breast cancer.
  Academic radiology 2011 Singer L, Wilmes LJ, Saritas EU, Shankaranarayanan A, Proctor E, Wisner DJ, Chang B, Joe BN, Nishimura DG, Hylton NM
• Cancer Research
  Improved Spatial Resolution Diffusion-Weighted Imaging for Characterizing Tumors and Treatment Response in Patients with Invasive Breast Cancer 2011 LJ Wilmes, R McLaughlin, S Sinha, L Singer, E Proctor, D Wisner, DN Newitt, A Shankaranarayanan, BN Joe and NM Hylton
• Diffusion-weighted MRI: influence of intravoxel fat signal and breast density on breast tumor conspicuity and apparent diffusion coefficient measurements.
  Magnetic resonance imaging 2011 Partridge SC, Singer L, Sun R, Wilmes LJ, Klifa CS, Lehman CD, Hylton NM
• Quantification of background enhancement in breast magnetic resonance imaging.
  Journal of magnetic resonance imaging : JMRI 2011 Klifa C, Suzuki S, Aliu S, Singer L, Wilmes L, Newitt D, Joe B, Hylton N
• International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 19th Annual Meeting & Exhibition
  Reduced field-of-view diffusion-weighted imaging in patients with invasive breast cancer 2011 Singer L, Wilmes LJ, Saritas EU, Shankaranarayanan A, Proctor E, Wisner D, Chang B, Joe BN, Nishimura DG, Hylton NM
• Diffusion-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Monitoring Treatment Response in Patients with Locally Advanced Breast Cancer
  Diffusion-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Monitoring Treatment Response in Patients with Locally Advanced Breast Cancer 2010 Singer L
• International Workshop on Breast Densitometry and Breast Cancer Risk Assessment
  Towards a "one-click" method of volumetric breast density calculation from magnetic resonance imaging data 2009 Singer L, Hylton N, Klifa C
• Role of IV iodinated contrast material in 18F-FDG PET/CT of liver metastases.
  AJR. American journal of roentgenology 2008 Badiee S, Franc BL, Webb EM, Chu B, Hawkins RA, Coakley F, Singer L
• Synthesis and pharmacological effects of the enantiomers of the N-phenethyl analogues of the ortho and para e- and f-oxide-bridged phenylmorphans.
  Organic & biomolecular chemistry 2008 Zezula J, Singer L, Przybyl AK, Hashimoto A, Dersch CM, Rothman RB, Deschamps J, Lee YS, Jacobson AE, Rice KC
• Abstract Archives of the RSNA
  Non-enhanced CT versus standard dose contrast-enhanced CT in combined PET/CT protocols for assessing metastatic liver lesions 2007 Badiee, S, Coakley, F, Franc, B, Ruppert, A, Webb, E, Hawkins, R, Singer L, Schreck, C
• Flying ions in disguise: the effects of esterification on fragmentation patterns of proteolytic digests in electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry
  Flying ions in disguise: the effects of esterification on fragmentation patterns of proteolytic digests in electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry 2004 Singer L