Professor Sweeney's primary research interest is drug discovery and development. His academic focus is management of genitourinary malignancies, with a focus on prostate and testicular cancer. Professor Sweeney is a highly active contributor to his field, having served on the Editorial Board for ASCOs Journal of Clinical Oncology and the Program and Cancer Education Committees of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. He has received peer reviewed funding from the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Defense. Professor Sweeney is also a member of the Scientific Advisory Boards of biotech companies in the United States and Australia.
He is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group-ACRIN, Alliance and the American Association for Cancer Research.