Dr. Smita Bhatia

Dr. Smita Bhatia, MD, MPH, is an internationally recognized physician–scientist specializing in cancer survivorship, late effects of therapy, and outcomes research in hematologic malignancies and stem cell transplantation. She serves as Director of the Institute for Cancer Outcomes and Survivorship at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and holds the Gay and Bew White Endowed Chair in Pediatric Oncology. Dr. Bhatia earned her medical degree from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi, India, and a Master of Public Health from the University of Minnesota. She completed residency training in pediatrics at the University of Minnesota and fellowship in pediatric hematology/oncology at the University of Minnesota and the University of Minnesota Bone Marrow Transplant Program. She is board-certified in Pediatrics and Pediatric Hematology/Oncology.

A pioneer in survivorship research, Dr. Bhatia has made seminal contributions to understanding the long-term health outcomes of childhood cancer survivors and transplant recipients. She has led large cohort studies that defined risks of secondary cancers, organ toxicity, and psychosocial outcomes after cancer therapy, providing the evidence base for survivorship guidelines worldwide. She has authored more than 400 peer-reviewed publications and her work has been continuously supported by NIH and other competitive funding mechanisms.

Beyond her research impact, Dr. Bhatia is a devoted educator and mentor, having trained numerous leaders in pediatric oncology and survivorship research. She has served in leadership roles within the Children’s Oncology Group and on national and international committees shaping survivorship guidelines. Through her commitment to clinical care, outcomes research, and mentorship, Dr. Smita Bhatia has transformed survivorship as a field and continues to influence cancer care globally.