Kalavagunta Chaitanya

Kalavagunta Chaitanya is an Assistant Professor in the Radiation Oncology Department at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, with clinical expertise in Radiation Oncology Physics. He is board-certified in Therapeutic Medical Physics by the American Board of Radiology (DABR) and specializes in quality assurance for linear accelerators, treatment planning systems, and safety compliance with AAPM guidelines.

• Education: B.Sc. (2000), M.Sc. (2002) from Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning; M.S. in Physics (2005) from University of Kansas; M.S. (2008) and Ph.D. (2014) in Medical Physics from University of Minnesota
• Residency: Therapeutic Medical Physics at University of Maryland Medical Center (2014-2016)

His research focuses on advancing quality assurance and safety systems in radiation therapy through data-driven tools like TotalQA and automation. Clinical keywords include radiation oncology physics, linear accelerator QA, and treatment planning optimization. Recent publications address DEI initiatives in academic healthcare, MLC QA programs, and AI integration in medical physics.

Scientific awards include multiple AAPM oral presentation awards (2015, 2013) and a Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship from the University of Minnesota (2013). He actively participates in institutional and national service, including the Together We Thrive Committee and AAPM guideline development.