Skip to main content

Zachary James Reitman

Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology
Radiation Oncology
30 Duke Medicine Circle, Box 3085, Durham, NC 27710
30 Duke Medicine Circle, Box 3085, Durham, NC 27710

Research Interests


The goal of the Reitman Lab is to make discoveries that guide the design of improved treatment strategies for children and adults with brain tumors. The Reitman Lab is based in the Department of Radiation Oncology and the team works closely with the faculty and staff in the Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke, the Department of Neurosurgery and the Duke Cancer Institute.

Selected Grants


Role of ATRX deficiency as a determinant of topoisomerase 1 inhibitor sensitivity in high grade gliomas

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by American Cancer Society, Inc. · 2025 - 2028

Modulation of STING to enhance the efficacy of treatments for diffuse midline glioma

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Alex's Lemonade Stand · 2024 - 2028

Enhancing the efficacy of Radiation Therapy for brainstem glioma by targeting ATM

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Cancer Institute · 2022 - 2027

Medical Scientist Training Program

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEPreceptor · Awarded by National Institute of General Medical Sciences · 2022 - 2027

Duke ACS Institutional Research Grant

ResearchSignificant Contributor · Awarded by American Cancer Society, Inc. · 2024 - 2026

Exploring synthetic lethality with a novel very high energy electron FLASH radiation beam

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2024 - 2026

Dissecting mechanisms of radioresistance associated with p53 mutations in DIPG

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Chadtough Defeat DIPG Foundation · 2022 - 2024

Identifying brainstem glioma subtypes that can be radiosensitized by ATM inhibition

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation · 2019 - 2023

Image-Guided Radiation Therapy System for Small Animals

EquipmentMinor User · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2021 - 2022

Enhancing the efficacy of radiation therapy for brainstem gliomas

ResearchPI-Fellow · Awarded by St. Baldrick's Foundation · 2020 - 2022

Enhancing the efficacy of radiation therapy for DIPG

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Michael Mosier Defeat DIPG Foundation · 2020 - 2021

Prioritizing PPM1D mutations as a target for new DIPG therapies

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Michael Mosier Defeat DIPG Foundation · 2019 - 2019

Generation of a genetically-modified microorganism for adipic acid production

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by North Carolina Biotechnology Center · 2014 - 2015

External Relationships


  • CURE childhood cancer
  • Eisai Pharmaceuticals
  • Genetron Health
  • National Institute of Health (NIH)
  • Oakstone Publishing CME

This faculty member (or a member of their immediate family) has reported outside activities with the companies, institutions, or organizations listed above. This information is available to institutional leadership and, when appropriate, management plans are in place to address potential conflicts of interest.