David Binder

David Binder, MD, PhD is Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine (Anschutz Medical Campus) and attending physician at UCHealth. He specializes in high-precision radiation techniques—including high-dose-rate brachytherapy, stereotactic body radiotherapy, and Gamma Knife—for gastrointestinal, breast, prostate, and gynecologic malignancies.

Education & Training:

• BA, Cornell University (2007)
• PhD, University of Chicago (2013)
• MD, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine (2015)
• Internship: University of Chicago/University of Illinois College of Medicine (2016)
• Residency: University of Colorado, Radiation Oncology, Chief Resident (2020)

Research Focus: Dr. Binder’s laboratory and translational work integrate radiotherapy with cancer immunotherapy, dissecting how radiation modulates immune checkpoints (PD-L1, TIM-3, IDO1) and regulatory T cells to improve outcomes in glioblastoma, head-and-neck, and gastrointestinal cancers. His studies explore bacterial and peptide-based vaccines, adoptive T-cell platforms, and rational combination trials.

Publication Trends: Across 21 peer-reviewed articles (2013-2025) he has consistently bridged radiation biology and tumor immunology, identifying mechanisms of immune escape and demonstrating that IDO1 inhibition or Salmonella-based vaccination can synergize with radiation and checkpoint blockade to extend survival in preclinical glioma and head-and-neck models.

Clinical Philosophy: He emphasizes multidisciplinary, patient-centered care, leveraging cutting-edge technology to eradicate tumors while preserving quality of life.