LEBANON - The American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC) continues to advance its mission of excellence in healthcare and academic leadership through the appointment of two internationally recognized physician-scientists: Dr. Osama Mohammad as Chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology and Dr. Haytham Kaafarani as Chair of the Department of Surgery at the Faculty of Medicine and the American University of Beirut Medical Center.

These appointments follow highly competitive international searches. After distinguished careers at MD Anderson Cancer Center and Harvard Medical School, Dr. Mohammad and Dr. Kaafarani bring world-class expertise that will contribute to advancing clinical practice, medical education, and scientific research in Lebanon and the region, each within their respective fields.

Dr. Osama Mohammad, an alumnus of the American University of Beirut, has been appointed Chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology at the Faculty of Medicine and AUBMC.

Through his academic and professional career at the University of California, San Francisco, and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Dr. Mohammad has acquired extensive global experience in radiation oncology, advanced radiotherapy, and the application of artificial intelligence in cancer care.

He completed the prestigious Physician-Scientist Training Program at Emory University in Atlanta and holds both an MD and a PhD in stem cell biology and regenerative neuroscience.

At MD Anderson Cancer Center, Dr. Mohammad founded and expanded the high-dose-rate brachytherapy program for prostate cancer.

He also served as Associate Medical Director of the Genitourinary Center and as a clinical champion within the Prostate Cancer Center of Excellence. His research contributions span artificial intelligence, digital pathology, and precision oncology, with a particular focus on prostate cancer.

The appointment of Dr. Osama Mohammad represents a strategic opportunity to strengthen the Department of Radiation Oncology as a regional model of academic excellence, technological innovation, and multidisciplinary cancer care, grounded in global best practices.

Dr. Haytham Kaafarani, also an alumnus of the American University of Beirut, has been appointed Chair of the Department of Surgery and Associate Dean for Surgical Sciences and Research at the Faculty of Medicine and AUBMC.

Dr. Kaafarani has distinguished himself as a physician-scientist with a decade-long record of leadership and achievement at Harvard Medical School and Mass General Brigham.

He returns to AUB as a global authority in critical surgical care, patient safety, quality improvement, and health systems science.

As a Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School, and through his influential leadership roles, outstanding clinical practice, and extensive research engagement, Dr. Kaafarani has established an exceptional and sustained record of contributions to academic medicine, healthcare systems, and the surgical profession.

His leadership roles include serving as Medical Director of the Trauma Division at a hospital.