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After years of dedicated and enthusiastic commitment to the NRG and previously the RTOG Genitourinary Cancer Committee, chairing or co-chairing 13 research protocols for NRG and RTOG, Dr. Feng was appointed Committee Chair in March 2018 following in the footsteps of Dr. Howard Sandler his mentor. Dr. Feng was also a member of the RTOG Foundation Board of Directors.
Outside of his work with NRG Oncology and RTOG Foundation, Dr. Feng was the Vice Chair for Translational Research in the Department of Radiation Oncology, Urology and Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). At UCSF, Dr. Feng also developed The Feng Lab which utilized the expertise of biologists and computational scientists to advance our understanding of cancer biology and ultimately improve patient outcomes. Notably in his research, his research team produced the first clinical-grade biomarker panels that predict prostate cancer response to radiation or hormone therapy after surgery, as well as a plasma-based cell-free DNA biomarker that predicts resistance to PARP1 inhibitors. Additionally, Dr. Feng’s laboratory has helped identify the mechanisms by which genes, such as PARP1, DNAPK, SChLAP1, and PCAT1, contribute to prostate cancer progression and performed key preclinical therapeutic studies that have contributed to the initiation of clinical trials investigating PARP1 inhibitors, DNAPK inhibitors, and bromodomain inhibitors in patients with metastatic prostate cancer.
Dr. Feng presented during The Feng Symposium, a prostate cancer revolution conference established in 2024 as a product of Dr. Feng’s unwavering commitment to advancing research. In his keynote speech, Dr. Feng delivered an emotional tribute to what was the driving force behind his career trajectory and the power he held based off the many people who supported him along the way. In turn, he notes that as much as he learned from his mentors in his career, he learned just as much if not more from his mentees. You can listen to this impactful presentation here.
NRG Oncology and RTOG Foundation are beyond thankful to the years of service and the unmatched passion Dr. Feng brought to our organization and the lives of many people impacted by cancer. Our thoughts are with his family and friends during this very difficult time.
TRIBUTES:
“Felix was a towering figure in the realm of prostate cancer research and served as the esteemed leader of the GU Committee for NRG Oncology for many years. His extraordinary vision, unwavering leadership, and remarkable mentorship propelled numerous successes for our organization. With Felix’s passing, the fields of radiation oncology and cancer research have lost a brilliant scientist and an exceptional leader, while many of us have lost a wonderful friend and colleague. However, Felix’s legacy will endure - not only through the impactful trials and scientific advancements he championed but also but also through the countless patients he tended and the many researchers he inspired along the way.”
-Quynh Thu-Le, MD, NRG Oncology Group Chair, RTOG Foundation Group Chair
“Felix was an extraordinary leader, mentor, scientist, doctor, entrepreneur, family man, and friend. He was a visionary who saw in the NRG GU group the potential to have a trial in every disease state and to integrate biomarkers to personalize systemic therapy and he successfully built a large portfolio that did both of those things. He often said that the NRG GU group would be his greatest professional legacy, which is saying a lot given how much he accomplished in other professional realms. Through NRG and other endeavors, he directly made a positive impact on hundreds of investigators who are much better off for having known him and who will continue his legacy of investigation and mentorship to improve the lives of patients everywhere.”
-Paul Nguyen, MD, NRG Oncology Genitourinary Cancer Committee Chair, RTOG Foundation Genitourinary Cancer Committee Chair
“Felix’s leadership of the NRG Oncology GU Cancer Committee elevated an outstanding program to an even higher level of science, engagement, and productivity. As with any group Felix engaged with, the members of this committee are forever touched by the enthusiasm, passion, and creativity that Felix brought to our program. He will be forever missed!”
-Walter J. Curran, Jr, MD, Former NRG Oncology Group Chair, former RTOG Foundation Group Chair
“We will all remember Felix as the consummate physician scientist, who was dedicated to the pursuit of discovery and the pursuit of better options for cancer patients. I will remember Felix as a good student, a great colleague and an amazing friend.”
-Howard Sandler, MD, Former NRG Genitourinary Cancer Committee Chair, Former RTOG Genitourinary Cancer Committee Chair
DONATIONS:
If interested in contributing on Dr. Feng’s behalf, please consider donating to the American Cancer Society – American Society of Radiation Oncology Felix Feng, MD Clinician Scientist Development Grand Award, established by his colleagues to honor his career & lifetime contributions. You can donate using this link.
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