Bassel F. El-Rayes, M.D., is a Professor of Medicine, Director of the Division of Hematology-Oncology and Deputy Director of the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at UAB.

Dr. El-Rayes is focused translational research and drug development in GI cancer with special emphasis on pancreatobiliary and neuroendocrine cancers. Dr. El-Rayes has served as principal investigator on several peer-reviewed NCI grants, investigator-initiated trials and multi-institutional trials. He has published over 200 peer-reviewed articles.  He has served on several national committees including the NCI Neuroendocrine Tumor Task Force and National Committee of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) for the Development of Guidelines for the Management of Central Venous Catheters in Patients with Cancer.

Dr. El-Rayes completed his medical school at the American University of Beirut (AUB). He subsequently joined the internal medicine residency and then fellowship program at Wayne State University. After completing his fellowship, Dr. El-Rayes joined the faculty at Wayne State University as an Assistant Professor. During his tenure at Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, Dr. El-Rayes chaired the Data and Safety Monitoring Committee and was the Medical Director of the Outpatient Clinic.  Dr. El-Rayes joined Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University in 2009. During this time, Dr. El-Rayes served as Director of GI Oncology program, Associate Cancer Center Director for Clinical Research, and Vice Chair for Clinical Research. Dr El-Rayes is a Georgia Cancer Coalition Distinguished Clinical Scholar. In 2016, he was appointed as the John Kaufmann Family Professor for Pancreatic Research.