A woman in a wheelchair with her hsband in front of a window overlooking DCI buildings and greenery.

Introducing 2026 Breakthroughs

Published

Thank you for your partnership

The generosity of donors and friends like you makes it possible for Duke Cancer Institute (DCI) to discover, develop, and deliver the future of cancer care…now. Because of you, DCI stands among the nation’s premier cancer centers, driving innovation and transforming lives.

After more than a decade as DCI’s inaugural executive director, Michael B. Kastan, MD, PhD, has decided it is time to pass the torch. Since 2011, he transformed DCI into a national model, championing multidisciplinary care, expanding research, and improving access and community engagement. A pediatric hematologist-oncologist and renowned cancer biologist, Kastan will continue as a Duke faculty member.

On January 5, 2026, we welcomed Erik Sulman, MD, PhD, as interim executive director. Recently appointed chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology, Sulman brings exceptional expertise in brain tumor treatment and novel therapies. We are confident his leadership will guide DCI through this transition and build on its legacy of excellence.

Thank you for all you do to elevate DCI’s mission. Together, we are changing the future of cancer care. The stories below highlight just a few examples of how we’re doing that.

 
This message was originally published in the 2026 Breakthroughs. Read more about DCI's breakthrough research and patient care in this annual magazine. 


 

Bobby Menges smiling with his arms raised
Bobby Menges at the Shave & Buzz fundraising event he co-founded.

A New Standard for Support

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A crystal trophy for the William W. Shingleton Award
Photo by Ken Huth

Celebrating 2025 Shingleton Awardees

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Two men in white coats standing together working with a microscope, screens, and other elements of the Prostate Tumor ID device
Prostate Tumor ID, developed by urologic oncologist Michael Abern (left) and biomedical engineering PhD candidate and medical student Tanner Zachem, promises to help surgeons precisely “see” cancerous prostate tissue in real time. Photo by Eamon Queeney.

An Innovator Sparks Innovation

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Two parents, one holding a toddler, smiling together as the toddler reaches toward the camera.
Arlene Brown, her husband, Richard, and their toddler Andrew.

A Lump, a Life, and a Leap of Faith

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A young man and his mentor on stage in front of a screen showing a scientific presentation
Shane Killarney (right) presents his work with mentor Kris Wood at the 2024 Dean’s Award for Research Excellence ceremony. Photo by Les Todd.

Saying Yes to Science and Service

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Two parents, one holding a toddler, smiling together as the toddler reaches toward the camera.
Arlene Brown, her husband, Richard, and their toddler Andrew.
Article

A Lump, A Life, and a Leap of Faith

Arlene Brown knew she was at high risk for breast cancer and stayed vigilant with regular screenings. But nothing could prepare her for the moment she found a lump — while 18 weeks pregnant with her first child.What followed was a whirlwind of decisions, fears, and a treatment journey that would test her strength and reshape her future.Brown was named after her Aunt Arlene, who died from triple-negative breast cancer. After Brown’s sister was diagnosed with the same cancer, Brown underwent genetic testing. It revealed that Brown had the BRCA-1 gene mutation, which elevated her risk for breast and ovarian cancer.Her doctors suggested she undergo a bilateral mastectomy to remove her breasts and an oophorectomy to remove her ovaries. But Brown was 33, and she and her husband, Richard, wanted to start their family.Instead, she opted for regularly scheduled mammograms and MRIs. The results came back clear, and in December of 2022, the Raleigh, North Carolina, philanthropy officer was thrilled to learn she was pregnant.In March, after she felt a lump under her right arm during a shower, her doctor advised that lumps and bumps during pregnancy were common. In May, however, Brown had an ultrasound, then a biopsy. Like her family members, Brown was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer.

Duke Cancer Institute Blog
Two men in white coats standing side by side, looking at the camera intently.
PhD candidate and medical student Tanner Zachem and urologic oncologist Michael Abern, MD. Photo by Eamon Queeney.
Article

An Innovator Sparks Innovation

Walt Simmons is a seasoned mechanical engineer with an entire wall in his West Virginia home decorated with his patents. Still professionally active in his seventies, he owns and operates a hydro-electric facility that he purchased in a dilapidated condition.“Even though I knew nothing about dams at the time,” Walt said.“And even though it was junky, and filthy,” said Arlene.“So I thought, well, this is a challenge,” said Walt, a playful gleam in his eye.Walt’s love of a good challenge, and Arlene’s lifelong devotion to supporting her husband’s engineering ventures, soon drew the couple to ask Walt’s oncologist at Duke Cancer Institute, Daniel George, MD, a question. What could they do to advance treatments for the prostate cancer that nearly cost Walt his life?“When Dr. Dan George pointed out that Duke was uniquely positioned to bring engineers and oncologists together to solve real problems, we knew we wanted to be part of it. I’ve always been fascinated by the process of discovery,” said Walt.George, co-chair of the DCI’s Center for Prostate and Urologic Cancers, suggested an organic approach to fostering new collaborations: a monthly meeting between prostate cancer clinical researchers and biomedical engineers from Duke’s Pratt School of Engineering to identify and solve prostate cancer challenges. “Bringing biomedical engineers from Pratt to the table is special. That would not have happened without a funding incentive,” George said.

Duke Cancer Institute Blog

Related News

Two parents, one holding a toddler, smiling together as the toddler reaches toward the camera.
Arlene Brown, her husband, Richard, and their toddler Andrew.
Article

A Lump, A Life, and a Leap of Faith

Arlene Brown knew she was at high risk for breast cancer and stayed vigilant with regular screenings. But nothing could prepare her for the moment she found a lump — while 18 weeks pregnant with her first child.What followed was a whirlwind of decisions, fears, and a treatment journey that would test her strength and reshape her future.Brown was named after her Aunt Arlene, who died from triple-negative breast cancer. After Brown’s sister was diagnosed with the same cancer, Brown underwent genetic testing. It revealed that Brown had the BRCA-1 gene mutation, which elevated her risk for breast and ovarian cancer.Her doctors suggested she undergo a bilateral mastectomy to remove her breasts and an oophorectomy to remove her ovaries. But Brown was 33, and she and her husband, Richard, wanted to start their family.Instead, she opted for regularly scheduled mammograms and MRIs. The results came back clear, and in December of 2022, the Raleigh, North Carolina, philanthropy officer was thrilled to learn she was pregnant.In March, after she felt a lump under her right arm during a shower, her doctor advised that lumps and bumps during pregnancy were common. In May, however, Brown had an ultrasound, then a biopsy. Like her family members, Brown was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer.

Duke Cancer Institute Blog
Two men in white coats standing side by side, looking at the camera intently.
PhD candidate and medical student Tanner Zachem and urologic oncologist Michael Abern, MD. Photo by Eamon Queeney.
Article

An Innovator Sparks Innovation

Walt Simmons is a seasoned mechanical engineer with an entire wall in his West Virginia home decorated with his patents. Still professionally active in his seventies, he owns and operates a hydro-electric facility that he purchased in a dilapidated condition.“Even though I knew nothing about dams at the time,” Walt said.“And even though it was junky, and filthy,” said Arlene.“So I thought, well, this is a challenge,” said Walt, a playful gleam in his eye.Walt’s love of a good challenge, and Arlene’s lifelong devotion to supporting her husband’s engineering ventures, soon drew the couple to ask Walt’s oncologist at Duke Cancer Institute, Daniel George, MD, a question. What could they do to advance treatments for the prostate cancer that nearly cost Walt his life?“When Dr. Dan George pointed out that Duke was uniquely positioned to bring engineers and oncologists together to solve real problems, we knew we wanted to be part of it. I’ve always been fascinated by the process of discovery,” said Walt.George, co-chair of the DCI’s Center for Prostate and Urologic Cancers, suggested an organic approach to fostering new collaborations: a monthly meeting between prostate cancer clinical researchers and biomedical engineers from Duke’s Pratt School of Engineering to identify and solve prostate cancer challenges. “Bringing biomedical engineers from Pratt to the table is special. That would not have happened without a funding incentive,” George said.

Duke Cancer Institute Blog