David Tuveson, MD, PhD, a leading cancer biologist known for his work in pancreatic cancer, will join Duke Health as executive director of the Duke Cancer Institute (DCI), effective October 31, 2026.
Tuveson will bring decades of experience in cancer research and scientific leadership to Duke, with much of his career focused on understanding pancreatic cancer and developing better ways to study the disease.
David Tuveson welcomed the opportunity to join Duke Health and help shape the next chapter of cancer research and patient care at DCI:
“I am deeply honored to help advance the future of cancer discovery and patient care as executive director of the Duke Cancer Institute. I look forward to partnering with my exceptional colleagues and trainees to set new standards for patient outcomes in North Carolina and beyond. Cancer is a devastating disease, and together, within DCI and through collaboration with centers around the world, we can change the fate of countless individuals and restore hope.”
David Tuveson and His Work in Pancreatic Cancer
Tuveson currently serves as director of the NCI-Designated Cancer Center at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory and as chief scientist for the Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research.
He is widely recognized for developing pioneering mouse and organoid models of pancreatic cancer. These models have given researchers new ways to study how pancreatic tumors develop, interact with surrounding cells, and respond to potential treatments.
His work has also helped deepen understanding of the pancreatic cancer tumor microenvironment. His group was among the first to identify distinct subtypes of cancer-associated fibroblasts, showing that the cells surrounding a tumor are not a uniform population and can play different roles in cancer biology. His research has also explored KRAS signaling, CA19-9, and other biological features that may influence pancreatic cancer development, diagnosis, and response to treatment.
Discoveries from Tuveson’s laboratory have helped reveal molecular drivers of pancreatic cancer while supporting the development of new therapeutic and diagnostic approaches that can move from experimental models toward preclinical and clinical evaluation.
Tuveson Lab Summer 2021/tuvesonlab.cshl.edu
Leadership in the Cancer Research Community
Alongside his laboratory work, Tuveson has held several major positions in the wider cancer research community.
He served as President of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) from 2021 to 2022 and was elected a Fellow of the AACR Academy in 2020. He was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2022 and has also been elected to the American Society for Clinical Investigation and the Association of American Physicians.
His career has been recognized with several awards for pancreatic cancer and clinical research, including the Rita Allen Foundation Scholar Award, Jan Waldenström Medal, Hamdan Award for Medical Research Excellence and the David M. Rubenstein Award in Pancreatic Cancer Research.
Through the Lustgarten Foundation, Tuveson has also played a broader role in shaping pancreatic cancer research strategy and directing investment toward projects with the potential to move discoveries closer to patients.
A New Chapter for Duke Cancer Institute
At Duke Cancer Institute, Tuveson will take on leadership of an NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center that brings together cancer research, clinical care and education. His appointment will broaden the scope of his leadership beyond pancreatic cancer while building on his experience in translational science and collaborative cancer research.
Duke University Executive Vice President for Health Affairs Mary Klotman and Duke University Health System Chief Executive Officer David Zaas welcomed his appointment:
“We are excited to begin this next chapter for the Duke Cancer Institute under Dr. Tuveson’s extraordinary research innovation and leadership.”
Tuveson will officially begin his role as executive director of the Duke Cancer Institute on October 31, 2026.
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