Alexander Spira, MD, PhD

Dr. Spira is a medical oncologist and is director of the Virginia Cancer Specialists Research Institute and the Phase I Trial Program, where he is actively involved in advancing medicine and offering targeted treatment options for patients. His research interests include immunotherapy, personalized medicine, GI, thoracic and lung cancer and sarcomas. Dr. Spira is co-chair of the US Oncology thoracic oncology committee, chair of the US Oncology research executive committee, and member of the US Oncology national policy board executive committee. He also serves on the cancer research committee of the American Society for Clinical Oncology. He is a faculty member at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and serves as assistant professor of oncology. He has been recognized as a Top Doctor in Northern Virginia Magazine and Washingtonian magazine for multiple years. In 2018, he received the prestigious “Castle Connolly America’s Top Doctor” award. 

Dr. Spira earned his medical degree from the New York University School of Medicine, completed his internship and residency at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and his medical oncology fellowship at Johns Hopkins Hospital. He received his Ph.D. from the New York School of Arts and Sciences.