Mariana Guerrero

Mariana Guerrero, PhD, is a Professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. A board-certified Medical Physicist (American Board of Radiology), she oversees prostate seed implants, high-dose-rate brachytherapy, and departmental quality assurance while providing clinical coverage for external beam therapy, Yttrium-90 infusions, and thermal treatments. Her expertise bridges clinical physics and radiobiological research to optimize cancer therapy.

Her educational background includes:

• 1989: Licentiate (B.S.) in Physics, University of Buenos Aires
• 1995: Ph.D. in Physics, University of California, Irvine (Thesis Advisor: Professor Clare C. Yu)

Dr. Guerrero's research centers on radiobiological modeling to refine radiation dose-response relationships, multi-criteria optimization for treatment planning, and hyperthermia applications. She investigates extensions of the linear-quadratic model for stereotactic radiotherapy, fractionation effects, and reoxygenation dynamics, aiming to personalize cancer treatments through physics-driven biological insights.

Her 20+ publications (2002-2023) reveal evolving focus from foundational radiobiological modeling to clinical translation, with recent work addressing racial disparities in prostate cancer outcomes, VMAT optimization, and Y-90 dose validation. Key themes include prostate/gynecological cancer radiotherapy, brachytherapy physics, and computational modeling of radiation effects.

As an active American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) member since 2002, she serves on the EDIC Committee. Though specific awards aren't listed, her board certification and leadership in departmental QA underscore professional recognition.

Dr. Guerrero mentors students through teaching responsibilities and clinical research supervision. Her community engagement includes science fair judging (2006-2019) and bald eagle nest monitoring for the Maryland Bird Conservation Project (2017-present), reflecting commitment to science education beyond oncology.

She operates within the Radiation Oncology department's clinical physics team as QA officer and contributes to multidisciplinary cancer care through the University of Maryland's academic medical ecosystem.