Rate My Professor Bo Lu

Bo Lu, MD, PhD, is the NextGen Cancer Research Professor of Radiation Oncology and Chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of Missouri School of Medicine in Columbia. He also serves as a NextGen Precision Health Investigator. As a radiation oncologist at MU Health Care’s Ellis Fischel Cancer Center, he treats lung cancers and other thoracic malignancies using state-of-the-art personalized radiotherapy to precisely target tumors, maximize cure chances, and minimize side effects to healthy tissues. Dr. Lu emphasizes patient education on treatment options and provides individualized support throughout the care process. He leads the department in delivering cancer care, conducting research, and training radiation oncologists.

Dr. Lu earned his MD from Shanghai Medical University and PhD from Baylor College of Medicine. He completed a transitional year internship at UPMC-Presbyterian Hospital and radiation oncology residency at LAC-USC Medical Center (1997–2002). Certified by the American Board of Radiology in Radiation Oncology, his research examines Th-17/B-cell-mediated autoimmune mechanisms affecting the efficacy and toxicity of radiotherapy combined with immunotherapy. National Cancer Institute-funded studies, including investigations into cardiopulmonary autoimmunity (2020–2026), explore immunogenic signaling from ionizing radiation to develop biomarkers, blood tests, and drugs for personalized treatments that optimize antitumor immunity while reducing toxicities. Key publications include "Autoantibodies Drive Heart Damage Caused by Concomitant Radiation and PD-1 Blockade" (Cancer Immunol Res, 2023), "SMAC Mimetic Debio 1143 and Ablative Radiation Therapy Synergize to Enhance Antitumor Immunity against Lung Cancer" (Clin Cancer Res, 2019), "Blockade of Tumor-Expressed PD-1 Promotes Lung Cancer Growth" (Oncoimmunology, 2018), "The Underappreciated Role of the Humoral Immune System and B Cells in Tumorigenesis and Cancer Therapeutics: A Review" (Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys, 2020), and "Survivin as a Therapeutic Target for Radiation Sensitization in Lung Cancer" (Cancer Res, 2004).