About Dr. Hima Bindu Lingam
Dr. Hima Bindu Lingam is a board-certified medical oncologist and hematologist with expertise in patient care, clinical trials of oncology, and health equity. With years of experience in a variety of clinical settings, including academic and government healthcare, she brings a strong commitment to providing cutting-edge treatment options for patients with cancer as well as addressing disparities in cancer care.
Dr. Lingam‘s work is shaped by a focus on oncology clinical trials. She has been an investigator in over 40 oncology clinical trials across a variety of tumor types. Additionally, as a passionate advocate for cancer patients and improving access to cancer treatment across underserved populations, she combines her clinical and research roles with virtual consultancy, offering specialized oncology care and insights across global platforms.
Dr. Lingam’s dedication extends beyond professional boundaries. Providing pro bono, expert second opinion oncology consulting services for cancer patients in South Asia, she helps bridge the gap in care across regions with limited resources.
Rooted Perspective, Global Impact
With a nearly two-decades-long career as a medical oncologist and hematologist, Dr. Lingam combines cultural insight from her South Asian heritage and clinical expertise in oncology.
Dr. Lingam’s practice experience covers Southern California, Atlanta, and Washington D.C. She has also contributed to federal service, including roles at the FDA, NIH, and VA, combining science, equity, and patient care in high-impact oncology settings.
Educational Background
Dr. Lingam earned a Biochemistry degree from Brown University, an Ivy League institution, and a Doctor of Medicine from Meharry Medical College. She completed her Internal Medicine residency at Tufts-New England Medical Center and a Hematology/Oncology fellowship at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston’s renowned Texas Medical Center.
Professional Experience
Dr. Hima Bindu Lingam served as a locum tenens physician in medical oncology and hematology during two separate assignments in 2007 and 2010 to 2011. In these roles, she provided temporary clinical coverage, ensuring continuity of care for patients in underserved areas of the United States and during staffing transitions.
Dr. Lingam practiced as a staff physician and clinical trial researcher at Compassionate Cancer Care Medical Group, where she contributed to private practice oncology care and clinical research. She later joined The Southeast Permanente Medical Group, serving in multiple leadership roles, including physician lead for cancer research and principal investigator for the NCI’s NCORP program. She led the development of oncology clinical trials in this region of Kaiser Permanente, with the goal of improving access to clinical trials in Georgia.
Since 2018, Dr. Lingam has provided second-opinion oncology consulting in South Asia through Navya Network. She joined the organization’s advisory board in 2020 in its pilot initiative with Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.
Dr. Lingam worked as a staff physician at Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Atlanta while also serving as lead NRG researcher. From 2021 to 2023, she contributed to the National Cancer Institute as an FDA special volunteer and attending physician in thoracic oncology. From 2022-2025, she provided inpatient care in Hospital Medicine at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital.
Dr. Lingam served as a medical officer and medical oncologist at the FDA from 2021-2025, reviewing clinical trials for breast and gynecologic malignancies from a regulatory perspective. In May 2024, she joined the Washington DC VA Medical Center as a medical oncologist and hematologist, where she found tremendous satisfaction in taking care of those who served America in one of the most honorable ways.
Board Certifications. Licenses and Professional Affiliations
Dr. Hima Bindu Lingam is board-certified in hematology and medical oncology, with initial certifications in 2007 and recertifications completed in 2017. She completed an initial certification in Internal Medicine for the period of 2004 to 2014.
Dr. Lingam is licensed to practice medicine in California, Georgia, the District of Columbia, New York, Maryland, and New Hampshire. She was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society in 2001 and has been a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology since 2003.
Dr. Lingam has participated in national clinical research networks, including Kaiser Permanente’s NCORP, where she was a principal investigator. Through various institutions, she has also held investigator roles with NRG Oncology, SWOG, and the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology.
Honors and Awards
Dr. Lingam is proud to have received the 2023 FDA CDER Civility Award, which recognizes professionalism and respect in healthcare. She was a peer reviewer for Georgia CORE’s 2018 Breast Cancer Research Awards and was invited to events hosted by The Carter Center and the American Cancer Society through the organization HealthConnect South.
Grants
Dr. Lingam is also proud of her contributions to oncology research through several grant awards. As lead principal investigator, she co-authored the successful NCORP grant awarded in 2019 for Kaiser Permanente Georgia, supporting clinical trials through 2025. She received the 2014 Community Benefit Award for her oncology research proposal and held an NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein Training Grant in 2004–2005.
Published Works
Dr. Lingam is a respected published author who has made key contributions to oncology and hematology literature. Her recent work includes an FDA approval summary for Elacestrant in metastatic breast cancer, accepted by the Journal of Clinical Oncology in 2023. Earlier research focused on novel mutations causing Type I Methemoglobinemia, published in Blood Cells, Molecules, and Diseases, Haematologica, and presented at the American Society of Hematology, which describes the first Indian mutation identified as a cause of clinical Type 1 methemoglobinemia.
Summary and Future Endeavors
Dr. Hima Bindu Lingam’s dedication to advancing cancer care through clinical excellence, research, and compassionate service sets a powerful example in medicine. Her tireless efforts to develop and support underserved communities and advocate for equity in healthcare inspire respect and admiration. She embodies the true spirit of a healer, making a lasting impact that goes far beyond the clinic walls.
She seeks to incorporate wellness and incorporating a patient’s whole life experience to provide humanistic care for her patients. She continues to explore ways to provide innovative and compassionate care. She is joining the Gastrointestinal Oncology team at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, NH, this summer as a locum tenens physician. She is very interested in how artificial intelligence can be incorporated into oncology care. She completed an Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare certification through the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
