Tatiana Kelil, MD

Associate Professor of Radiology | Chief, Breast Imaging Division

UCSF Department of Radiology

Here is what Tatiana's nominator had to say about her:

I’m pleased to nominate Dr. Tatiana Kelil for the Women of UCSF spotlight. Dr. Kelil is Associate Professor in Radiology and interim Division Chief for Breast Imaging at UCSF. She brings together clinical excellence, innovation, and a clear dedication to patient care.

Dr. Kelil interprets breast imaging studies and performs image-guided interventions, always aiming to detect breast cancer as early as possible and to guide treatment more precisely. 

What distinguishes her is how she pushes the field forward. She co-directs the UCSF Center for Advanced 3D Technologies (CA3D+), translating imaging data into patient-specific 3D models used for surgical planning and patient education. 

Her research connects medical imaging with machine learning, augmented reality, and advanced visualization — all aimed at more precise, early, and personalized breast cancer care. Her path is also compelling: she began as a nurse, an experience she says shaped her perspective on patient communication and care. 

That foundation, combined with her technical skill, gives her a unique balance of empathy + innovation. In her own words, she chose breast imaging in part to stay close to patients while contributing to diagnostic precision. 

Beyond UCSF, she’s active globally, with RAD-AID and the UCSF Global Cancer Program, she helps build imaging capacity in low-resource settings.

Nominated by: Alpana Patel Camilli

Tatiana’s Bio

Dr. Tatiana Kelil earned her MD from Chicago Medical School, followed by a one-year internship at St. Mary’s Health Center. She completed her diagnostic radiology residency at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School in 2017, and a Women’s Imaging fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco in 2018.

Dr Kelil is an Associate Professor of Radiology and currently serves as Chief of the Breast Imaging Division at UCSF, with a mission centered on early breast cancer detection, exceptional clinical care, premiere teaching and mentorship, and the advancement of innovative research to improve the standard of care.

She also co-directs a team at the UCSF Center for Advanced 3D Technologies, where she helps transform 2D CT and MRI data into 3D-printed anatomical models used for surgical planning and patient education. Her research focuses on developing artificial intelligence tools for personalized breast cancer risk assessment, with the goal of identifying which patients are most likely to develop breast cancer and improving early detection strategies.

Passionate about improving health throughout the world, Kelil participates in the UCSF Global Cancer Program and the nonprofit RAD-AID International to improve access to medical imaging in low-resource regions. She led a team that established the first breast imaging training program in Ethiopia.

Dr. Kelil has been recognized with multiple national honors, including the RSNA Roentgen Resident/Fellow Research Award (2015), the RSNA Honored Educator Award (2017), the John A. Watson Faculty Scholar Award (2020), and the American Roentgen Ray Society Scholar Award (2021).

What advice would you give yourself early on in your career? To a woman entering your field today?

Early in my career, I believed I needed to fit into the leadership models that already existed and were often shaped by traditionally masculine traits like assertiveness, decisiveness, and self-confidence. Those qualities have their place, but what I’ve learned over time is that the most effective leaders lead from the truth of who they are, and not from a template. Once I allowed myself to lead with both the clarity and structure traditionally associated with ‘masculine’ leadership and the relational, collaborative approaches often linked with the ‘feminine,’ I became a more grounded, effective, and human leader.

My advice to my younger self, and to women entering the field today, is this: bring your whole self with you. Your uniqueness is your asset. Don’t mold yourself into an existing structure, instead help redefine it. Your empathy, intuition, emotional intelligence, flexibility, and inclusiveness are not soft skills, they are powerful leadership tools that create connection, trust, and meaningful change. You don’t need to choose between confidence and compassion, or between strength and sensitivity. The real leadership strength comes from balance of the two. 

What do you like to do outside of work?

Outside of work, I’m most energized by anything that expands my sense of connection to people, to the world, and to myself. I love traveling and experiencing different cultures; there’s something humbling and inspiring about seeing how other communities live, communicate, and find meaning.

I also cherish time with the people I love. Healthcare can be emotionally demanding, and being with my family and friends brings me back to center. 

I am equally nourished by quieter moments: meditation, yoga, and other practices that help me explore the nature of consciousness and understand myself more deeply. These practices ground me, offer perspective, and remind me of the importance of presence, both in leadership and in life. And when I need to simply feel alive and joyful, nothing lifts my spirit quite like music and dancing. 

Meet other outstanding women of UCSF through Our Spotlight.