Arezoo Modiri

Arezoo Modiri is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of Maryland, specializing in developing mathematical models for radiation therapy plan optimization to improve patient survival and post-treatment quality of life. Her work integrates swarm intelligence, machine learning, and functional imaging (e.g., virtual bronchoscopy) to address complex objectives in radiotherapy for lung and breast cancers.

• B.S., M.S., Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering (microwave-based breast cancer detection)
• Postdoctoral research at UT Southwestern Medical Center (4D treatment planning for lung cancer)

Current research focuses on:

• Biologically optimized radiotherapy to preserve lung function
• Cardiotoxicity risk modeling in central lung and breast radiotherapy
• Microwave imaging for breast cancer detection
• GPU-accelerated optimization algorithms
• Patient-specific survival and toxicity modeling
• Functional avoidance techniques (e.g., FWAS)

Her publications span journals like International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics, Physics in Medicine and Biology, and Medical Physics, emphasizing 4D treatment planning, functional lung sparing, and biologically guided dose optimization. Key trends include integrating virtual bronchoscopy and ventilation mapping into SBRT/SABR workflows.

Scientific recognition includes:

• Award for impactful early-career research (Journal of Physics in Medicine and Biology, 2020)
• ASTRO Best in Physics award (2018)
• AAPM Science Highlights selection (2018)
• AAPM Best in Physics (Therapy) abstract (2014)

Grants and leadership roles:

• UMGCCC pilot grant for CT-based cardiotoxicity surrogates (2021)
• Varian Research Grants (2020, 2019)
• PENTEC collaborative (2019–)
• AAPM subcommittee leadership (2021–)