Brian Alexander, MD, MPH, is a radiation oncologist specializing in research and clinical care for patients with tumors of the central nervous system, and is the Director of the Neuro-Radiation Oncology Program at the Brigham and Women’s/Dana-Farber Cancer Center. His research interests include the characterization of the radiation responsiveness of glioma stem cells, preclinical evaluation of novel therapeutics, and innovative designs for early phase clinical trials.

Dr. Alexander previously served as a White House Fellow and Special Assistant to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs from 2008-2009. Under Secretary Peake, he helped prepare VA for the transition of administrations and worked to develop a public reporting system for quality performance indicators that formed the foundation for VA ASPIRE. During the transition and the early part of the Obama administration, Dr. Alexander served as a health policy advisor to Secretary Shinseki. In that role, he led the Department’s effort to organize the International Roundtable on Clinical Quality and Patient Safety and coordinated all aspects of Secretary Shinskei’s preparation for the Obama Administration’s Health Care Summit.

 
In addition to his role as health policy advisor, Dr. Alexander organized the standup of the VA’s Coordinating Council on National Health Reform and directed the activities of its multi-team Health Reform Working Group. Dr. Alexander is currently a member of the Institute of Medicine’s Committee on the Governance and Financing of Graduate Medical Education.

Dr. Alexander is originally from Southfield, Michigan and is a graduate of Kalamazoo College, the University of Michigan Medical School, and the Harvard School of Public Health.