J. Joshua Smith, M.D., Ph.D., F.A.C.S.

J. Joshua Smith, M.D., Ph.D., F.A.C.S., is a Professor of Surgical Oncology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. His research focuses on organ preservation in rectal cancer, particularly nonoperative management of mismatch repair–deficient tumors, total neoadjuvant therapy response, and watch-and-wait strategies. He investigates tumor biology, chemotherapy response prediction via patient-derived organoids, and advanced MRI staging techniques. His recent work in the *New England Journal of Medicine*, *JAMA*, and *Journal of Clinical Oncology* has advanced selective nonoperative approaches and robotic surgical outcomes. He integrates patient-reported inputs into trial design and leads international collaborations, including pooled analyses of the CAO/ARO/AIO-12 and OPRA trials.