Dr. Richard J. O'Donnell is chief of Orthopedic Oncology and a specialist in bone cancer and soft tissue tumors in adults and children. O'Donnell sees patients at the UCSF Orthopaedic Institute, UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center and UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital. His goal in treating bone cancer is to preserve as much bone and functionality as possible. In his research, he addresses prosthetic fixation for massive skeletal reconstructions, multimodal neoadjuvant management of soft tissue sarcomas and bone graft substitutes to treat cystic bone defects.

After receiving undergraduate and medical degrees from Harvard, O'Donnell completed a general surgery internship at New England Deaconess Hospital. He also completed the Harvard Combined Orthopedic Residency Training Program at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. He joined the UCSF Medical Center in 1998.

Dr. O'Donnell has been the recipient of numerous honors and awards including the  "Above and Beyond" Service Award, The Permanente Medical Group, South San Francisco, the Physician's Recognition Award in Continuing Medical Education, American Medical Association, and the James M. Morris, M.D. Memorial Award, Honoring the Compassionate Physician, presented annually by the UCSF Orthopaedic Residents.