Shailender Bhatia

Shailender Bhatia, MD, holds dual faculty appointments as Professor in the Clinical Research Division at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and Professor in the Division of Hematology and Oncology at the University of Washington School of Medicine. He serves as Director of the Melanoma and Renal Cancer Team, Member of the Pathogen-Associated Malignancies Integrated Research Center (PAM IRC), and holds the Lyn and Daniel Lerner Endowed Chair for Merkel Cell Carcinoma.

His research concentrates on clinical trials for skin cancers (particularly melanoma and Merkel cell carcinoma) and kidney cancers, with emphasis on novel immunotherapies that stimulate anti-tumor immune responses and targeted therapies that minimize treatment toxicity. Recent work includes optimizing immunotherapy dosing frequency to reduce costs and treatment burden while maintaining efficacy, as demonstrated in studies published in late 2023 and early 2024.

Dr. Bhatia has secured substantial research funding including a $12 million NIH grant for Merkel cell carcinoma research (2019) and a $5.25 million Kuni Foundation award for innovative adult oncology research (2024). His clinical trial portfolio features the Clinical Outcome of Immunotherapy in Melanoma and Other Skin Cancer Patients and the Repository of Data and Specimens for Skin Cancer Research, reflecting his commitment to advancing evidence-based treatments for aggressive skin cancers.