The David J. Vaughn, MD Professorship in GU Oncology
Grateful patients of David J. Vaughn, MD, led by Allison and Richard Prezelski and Ruth and Bennett Nathanson, established the Professorship in 2010 to honor Dr. Vaughn’s extraordinary skills as a physician and researcher.
David J. Vaughn, MD is a leading cancer specialist whose research emphasizes innovative therapies for urologic cancers. Since 2009 he has directed the Abramson Cancer Center’s Clinical Research Unit (CRU), which provides infrastructure for high-impact clinical trials.
In 2013, Dr. Vaughn was selected for membership in the inaugural class of the Academy of Master Clinicians, the highest award for clinical excellence at Penn Medicine.
Current Chairholder
Ronac Mamtani, MD, MSCE
Dr. Mamtani completed his undergraduate studies at Cornell University and earned a Medical Degree at the Stony Brook School of Medicine, followed by a Master of Science in Clinical Epidemiology (MSCE) at PSOM. He completed both his internship and residency in Medicine at NY Hospital-Cornell Medical College, as well as a fellowship in Hematology/Oncology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP). He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Medical Oncology.
Furthermore, Dr. Mamtani is an innovator in cancer care delivery, developing a text messaging intervention that reduces “time toxicity” of treatment, enabling people with cancer to spend less time in the physician’s office and more time at home with loved ones (Bange et al, NEJM Catalyst, 2025). He uses novel epidemiological approaches leveraging real-world data to improve and expand clinical trial results (e.g., Reiberl et al, J NCI, 2025; Mamtani et al, Urol Oncol, 2024; Mamtani et al, Eur Urol, 2024; Doshi et al, Front Oncol, 2023; Mamtani et al, JAMA Open Netwk, 2023; Mamtani et al, JAMA Oncol, 2023; Vater, J NCI Cancer Spectr, 2022).
Dr. Mamtani’s research has provided critical knowledge about uptake of drugs once FDA approved, using real world data to do so: are our new therapies safe and effective? Do they reach the patients most likely to benefit? Are real-world outcomes achieving the same benefits as those in the initial clinical trials? Do socioeconomically disadvantaged patients benefit equally from oncologic improvements in care? He uses large datasets from SEER/Medicare, insurers, and other data clearinghouses to fill knowledge gaps that remain after drugs are brought to market. His work has also explored why some drugs are pulled from the market or never gain widespread adoption and evaluated sequencing and combination approaches to expand the reach of new therapies including making sure that the right drugs are offered to the right patients at the right time. Finally, Dr. Mamtani is a leader in cancer care innovation, seeking to improve care delivery to help reduce wait times and streamline operations by leveraging technology.
Dr. Mamtani is the section chief for Genitourinary Oncology in the Division of Hematology/Oncology and leads several important education initiatives within the Department of Medicine. He has been recognized with multiple awards, including several honors for teaching and mentoring excellence and from national organizations including the Conquer Cancer Foundation, American Society of Clinical Oncology, and Healthnetwork Foundation. He is a vital member of many important internal committees shaping PSOM’S fellowship, residency, and faculty search initiatives for hematology-oncology and genitourinary cancers. Dr. Mamtani mentors several residents and fellows and directs research seminars and curricula across PSOM. He was awarded the 2025 Department of Medicine Resident Mentoring Award. Beyond Penn Medicine, he is active as a scientific reviewer for prominent national and international societies, serves on the NCCN guideline panel for genitourinary malignancies, shaping the future of the field through his leadership advancing bladder cancer clinical practice guidelines and innovative research (Flaig et al, J NCCN, 2022).
Previous Chairholder
- David J. Vaughn, MD, 2010-2025