William L. Dahut, MD

William L. Dahut, MD, serves as chief scientific officer for the American Cancer Society (ACS). In this role, he oversees the strategic direction of both intramural and extramural research for the largest nonprofit funder of cancer research. Dr. Dahut manages all pieces of the organization’s discovery work, including surveillance and health equity science, population science, cancer screening guidelines, and extramural discovery science. He serves as the scientific voice of the organization, advises key discovery positions, and manages more than $400 million in research funding. Dr. Dahut guides efforts to enhance and focus the American Cancer Society’s research program, concentrating priorities where they will be most effective and working with key partners and supporters to further progress.

An internationally recognized physician-investigator, Dr. Dahut is known for his thoughtful and determined leadership in cancer research. Before joining ACS, Dr. Dahut held leading roles at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), where he served as scientific director for clinical research at the NCI’s Center for Cancer Research, head of the agency’s prostate cancer clinical research section, and NCI clinical director. Dr. Dahut led the revitalization of NCI’s clinical research program, growing the number and caliber of senior, tenure-track, and physician scientist early investigators and staff clinicians, reorganizing clinical research, and increasing regulatory support and facilities for cell therapies.

Dr. Dahut has been laser-focused on helping cancer patients throughout his career, and his work has made a real impact from bench to bedside. Known as a tireless champion of clinical science, he has pioneered treatment regimens in prostate cancer and is a recognized expert in other areas such as clinical trials and immunotherapy. Dr. Dahut has worked as an attending physician in the NCI-Navy Medical Oncology Branch and been on faculty at Lombardi Cancer Center at Georgetown University. At NCI, he previously served as head of the prostate cancer clinic and chief of the genitourinary/gynecologic clinical research section.

He received his MD from Georgetown University and completed clinical training in internal medicine at the National Naval Medical Center, followed by training in hematology and medical oncology at the Bethesda Naval Hospital and the Medicine Branch of NCI.

Dr. Dahut sits on numerous boards and committees related to his work, has won distinguished honors and awards throughout his career, and is a prolifically published author, with nearly 250 pieces in peer-reviewed journals. He is chair-elect of the Department of Defense Prostate Cancer Research Program Integration Panel, has spoken to audiences across the country and around the world, and has trained dozens of medical oncology fellows.

He is also professor of medicine at Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland, and continues to see patients in the prostate cancer clinic at Walter Reed National Medical Military Center.

Dr. Dahut lives in Bethesda, Maryland, with his family.