Dr. Dukagjin M. Blakaj, MD, Ph.D

Expert Publications

• Molecular dynamics and thermodynamics of protein-RNA interactions: mutation of a conserved aromatic residue modifies stacking interactions and structural adaptation in the U1A-stem loop 2 RNA complex.
• Indirect readout of DNA sequence by papillomavirus E2 proteins depends upon net cation uptake.
• The Evolving Treatment Paradigm for Metastatic Spine Disease.

Clinical Trials

• Individualized Treatment in Treating Patients With Stage II-IVB Nasopharyngeal Cancer Based on EBV DNA

Media Releases

Get to know Radiation Oncologist Dr. Dukagjin M. Blakaj, who serves patients in Columbus, Ohio.

A board-certified radiation oncologist, Dr. Blakaj works with patients at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – James. He is also the Director of the Head and Neck Department of Radiation Oncology at The Ohio State University, and serves as an Associate Professor. He is proficient in a variety of techniques, including intensity-modulated radiotherapy, image-guided radiotherapy, Linac- and Gamma Knife-based stereotactic radiosurgery and stereotactic body radiation therapy, and intraoperative radiation therapy.

“I believe that teamwork is the key to ultimately ending cancer, which is one of the reasons why I’m proud to be part of The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – James. Our multidisciplinary teams of subspecialists provide expert care to our patients. I’m also inspired by being part of a department whose goal is to take the most cutting-edge research and translate it into care that is personalized for each patient based on the specific biological markers of his or her cancer” expressed Dr. Blakaj.

Back in the early days of his academic career, he graduated with his medical degree from Yeshiva University Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He then went on to complete his internship at the Mount Sinai Beth Israel Medical Center, and his residency in radiation oncology at the Montefiore Medical Center.

Subsequent to his education, the doctor attained board certification in radiation oncology through the American Board of Radiology (ABR). The mission of the ABR is to serve patients, the public, and the medical profession by certifying that its diplomats have acquired, demonstrated, and maintained a requisite standard of knowledge, skill, and understanding essential to the safe and competent practice of diagnostic radiology, radiation oncology, and medical physics.

Among his professional affiliations, Dr. Blakaj is an active member of the American Society for Radiation Oncology, and the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

Passionate about practicing medicine as well as research, he is a member of the Translational Therapeutics Program at the OSUCCC – James. His clinical and translational science research interests include experimental therapeutics in head and neck, endocrine and spine malignancies, human papillomavirus (HPV)-induced malignancies, immunotherapy and radiation resistance mechanisms of head and neck and metastatic spine cancers in general.

In order to give back to the community, Dr. Blakaj served as the chair of my medical school’s chapter of Physicians for Human Rights while earning his medical and doctorate degrees. He was also the Co-Founder of a non-profit organization that promotes educational opportunities. More recently, he participated in Pelotonia and rode more than 100 miles to help raise money for cancer research at OSUCCC – James.

Radiation oncology is a medical specialty that involves the controlled use of radiation to treat cancer. It is one of the three primary specialties – the other two being surgical and medical oncology – involved in the treatment of cancer. A radiation oncologist is a specialist physician who uses ionizing radiation in the treatment of cancer.

On a more personal note, Dr. Blakaj is fluent in both English and Albanian.

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