Dr. Denise R. Aberle

Dr. Denise R. Aberle, MD, is an internationally recognized radiologist and physician-scientist, renowned for her leadership in thoracic imaging and lung cancer screening. She serves as Professor of Radiology and Bioengineering at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, where she also holds key leadership roles in cancer prevention and early detection initiatives. Dr. Aberle earned her medical degree from the University of Kansas School of Medicine, completed her residency in Diagnostic Radiology at Stanford University, and pursued fellowship training in Cross-Sectional Imaging at the University of California, San Francisco. She is board-certified in Diagnostic Radiology and is widely recognized for her pioneering work in lung cancer screening and early detection research.

Dr. Aberle was the national Principal Investigator of the landmark National Lung Screening Trial (NLST), which demonstrated for the first time that low-dose CT screening could significantly reduce mortality from lung cancer in high-risk populations. Her leadership in this pivotal trial has fundamentally transformed global guidelines and established lung cancer screening as a standard of care. Dr. Aberle’s research continues to focus on integrating imaging biomarkers with emerging technologies, including radiomics and artificial intelligence, to refine risk assessment and enhance the accuracy of early lung cancer detection. She has authored over 200 peer-reviewed publications and remains a driving force in multidisciplinary efforts to improve early cancer detection strategies.

In addition to her research accomplishments, Dr. Aberle is a dedicated mentor and leader in academic medicine, having trained numerous radiologists, clinician-scientists, and bioengineers. She is an influential voice in national cancer prevention policy and continues to shape future directions in imaging science through her commitment to translational research, interdisciplinary collaboration, and patient-centered innovation.