David Gaffney, MD, PhD, is vice-chair and associate professor of radiation oncology at the University of Utah School of Medicine and Huntsman Cancer Institute. His primary research interests are in the radiotherapeutic management of gynecological cancers, breast cancers, and lymphoma, with a particular focus on prognostic markers for these cancers.

Gaffney is interested in clinical trials that improve survival and quality of life for cancer patients. He serves as chair of the Gynecologic Working Group for the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG). The RTOG is a multi-institutional cooperative cancer research organization that conducts clinical trials. He also serves as the chair of the Cervix Working Group of the Gynecologic Cancer Intergroup. This is an international organization interested in the research and treatment of gynecologic neoplasms. Gaffney is the chair of the Clinical Cancer Investigation Committee at the University of Utah and Huntsman Cancer Institute. He is also a member of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology, the American College of Radiology, Utah Medical Association, and multiple other societies.

In addition, Gaffney is interested in radiation sensitizers, which are drugs that make cancer cells more sensitive to the effects of radiation therapy, and in COX-2 inhibitors as anticancer agents. Gaffney is the principle investigator of a RTOG study examining COX-2 inhibitors in cervix cancer treatment. He is involved in a national study of microarray gene expression in cervical cancer before and after chemoradiation. The scientific aspects of the study are being performed at Huntsman Cancer Institute.

Gaffney received his PhD in biochemistry from the Medical College of Wisconsin in 1990 and his MD from the same institution in 1992. He completed an internship at LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah, and a residency in radiation oncology at the University of Utah School of Medicine.