Dr. Corey Speers is a tenured Professor and the Merle M. Salter Endowed Chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Heersink School of Medicine. As an internationally recognized physician-scientist, Dr. Speers leads a robust translational research program dedicated to unraveling the biology and therapeutic vulnerabilities of aggressive breast cancers, with particular emphasis on triple-negative and inflammatory breast cancer subtypes and ways to make radiation therapy more effective for women with breast cancer.
Dr. Speers earned his MD and PhD through the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) at Baylor College of Medicine and MD Anderson Cancer Center. Following his doctoral studies, he completed residency and specialized Holman Pathway training in radiation oncology at the University of Michigan, where he subsequently served on faculty for nearly a decade. Prior to joining UAB, Dr. Speers held prominent roles as Vice Chair of Research and Director of the Phase I Clinical Trials Program at University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center and Case Western Reserve University.
The Speers laboratory employs advanced genomic and functional approaches to discover novel therapeutic targets and predictive biomarkers of radiation response. Dr. Speers has significantly advanced the clinical translation of radiosensitizing strategies involving targeted agents, including PARP inhibitors, CDK4/6 inhibitors, and androgen receptor antagonists. His innovative research has culminated in multiple investigator-initiated and cooperative group clinical trials, including TBCRC 024, SWOG 1706, and the RiboRT trial, a recently opened industry sponsored trial of ribociclib with radiation in women with node-positive BC where he serves as principal investigator or co-investigator, guiding international collaborative efforts in breast cancer treatment.
A pioneering contribution of Dr. Speers' research has been the development of the POLAR and ARTIC genomic signatures, currently the only predictive tests available to ascertain radiation efficacy specifically in breast cancer patients. These groundbreaking tools have been clinically validated and are being adopted globally, significantly impacting personalized cancer care. Dr. Speers also co-founded PFS Genomics, which was subsequently acquired by Exact Sciences, underscoring his impactful contributions to precision oncology.
Dr. Speers' scholarly contributions include over 100 peer-reviewed publications, four patents, and extensive funding support from prominent entities including the NIH, Department of Defense, Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF), Komen Foundation, and the Hope Foundation. He actively shapes the field through his editorial roles, serving as an editor for Nature Breast and as an associate editor for the International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics.
In recognition of his clinical and scientific leadership, Dr. Speers has received multiple prestigious awards from organizations such as AACR, ASCO, ASTRO, and RSNA. He has been appointed to influential committees including the NCCN Breast Cancer Guidelines Panel and recognized as a Breast Cancer Research Foundation Investigator. Dr. Speers is frequently invited to deliver keynote presentations nationally and internationally, reflecting his esteemed standing in the fields of breast cancer management, translational research, and precision radiation oncology.