Dr. Duane Mitchell Named Director of the UF Health Cancer Institute

David Norton, Vice President for Research

I am pleased to share that Duane A. Mitchell, M.D., Ph.D., has been appointed director of the UF Health Cancer Institute, effective Sept. 21.

Dr. Mitchell, the Phyllis Kottler Friedman Professor in the Department of Neurosurgery, assumes leadership at a pivotal moment for the institute. Since earning National Cancer Institute designation in 2023, the UF Health Cancer Institute has continued to expand its research portfolio, clinical trial enterprise and multidisciplinary collaborations, strengthening its position as a national leader in cancer research and care.

An M.D.-Ph.D.-trained physician-scientist, Dr. Mitchell has built a distinguished career advancing immunotherapy approaches that harness the body’s immune system to fight cancer, particularly aggressive brain tumors such as glioblastoma. His work has helped move novel cancer vaccines and other immunotherapies from laboratory discovery to clinical application, offering new hope to patients facing some of the most challenging cancer diagnoses.

Since joining UF from Duke University in 2013, he has played a central role in building one of the nation’s premier brain tumor immunotherapy programs. Under his leadership, researchers have advanced innovative therapies for adult and pediatric brain cancers, developed groundbreaking cancer vaccine technologies and fostered multidisciplinary teams that bring together expertise across research, clinical care and translational science.

Dr. Mitchell currently serves as director of the UF Clinical and Translational Science Institute, where he has championed collaborations among physicians, scientists, engineers, data scientists and community partners to accelerate the translation of discoveries into real-world impact. He also has served as associate director for translation and innovation at the UF Health Cancer Institute and is co-director of the Preston A. Wells Jr. Center for Brain Tumor Therapy. Elizabeth Shenkman, Ph.D., co-director of the Clinical and Translational Science Institute, will serve as interim director of the CTSI.

Throughout his career, Dr. Mitchell has demonstrated an exceptional ability to bring together researchers, clinicians and partners across disciplines to accelerate scientific discovery and improve patient outcomes. His combination of scientific vision, collaborative leadership and commitment to mentoring future generations of researchers and physicians has helped shape many of the Cancer Institute’s recent successes and positioned it for continued growth.

Dr. Mitchell has received continuous National Institutes of Health funding for cancer research since 2009, secured more than $80 million in research support as a principal investigator and is an inventor on more than 25 patents related to cancer therapeutics.

The appointment comes as the Cancer Institute continues advancing its long-term goal of National Cancer Institute comprehensive cancer center designation. The institute’s strategic priorities include expanding translational research, reducing cancer disparities, investing in research infrastructure and harnessing artificial intelligence and cancer informatics to improve prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

In 2025, the institute reached a major milestone by expanding membership to include researchers from all 16 UF colleges. Institute researchers secured more than $57 million in cancer-related grants, including $33 million in NIH and NCI funding, maintained 268 active cancer-related research projects and enrolled nearly 1,000 patients in interventional cancer clinical trials.

Today, the institute serves more than 3.4 million residents across North, Central and Northeast Florida and remains focused on reducing the burden of cancer through prevention, early detection, innovative treatments and workforce development.

Dr. Mitchell succeeds Thomas George, M.D., who has served as interim director since November 2025. I want to thank Dr. George for his outstanding leadership during this important period of transition and for his longstanding commitment to advancing cancer research and care at the University of Florida. His guidance has helped maintain the institute’s momentum and strengthen its position as a nationally recognized cancer center.

Please join me in congratulating Dr. Mitchell on his appointment and in thanking Dr. George for his dedicated service and leadership.