James Lewis Abbruzzese
James Lewis Abbruzzese | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1952 |
| Education | Fairfield University (BSc in Biology, 1974); University of Chicago - Pritzker School of Medicine (MD, 1978); residencies and fellowships at Johns Hopkins Hospital and Dana–Farber Cancer Institute |
| Occupation(s) | Oncologist, cancer researcher |
| Known for | Expertise in clinical trials and therapeutic approaches for pancreatic cancer |
James Lewis Abbruzzese serves as the Chief of the Medical Oncology Division at Duke and holds the position of associate director for Clinical Research at the Duke Cancer Institute. Before joining Duke, he led the Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, where he was honored with the M. G. and Lillie A. Johnson Chair for Cancer Treatment and Research as well as the Annie Laurie Howard Research Distinguished Professorship. Abbruzzese is internationally recognized for his expertise in clinical trials and therapeutic approaches for pancreatic cancer.
Education
In 1974, Abbruzzese obtained his bachelor's degree in biology from Fairfield University. He earned his medical degree with distinction from the University of Chicago - Pritzker School of Medicine in 1978. His residency in Internal Medicine was completed at Johns Hopkins Hospital between 1979 and 1981.
He pursued clinical fellowships in Infectious Diseases at Johns Hopkins Hospital (1981), followed by Medical Oncology training at the Dana–Farber Cancer Institute affiliated with Harvard Medical School (1982). Additionally, he completed a fellowship in Medical Oncology Research focusing on Neoplastic Disease Mechanisms at Dana–Farber in 1983.
Research
Abbruzzese’s investigative efforts concentrate on creating innovative treatments for pancreatic and gastrointestinal malignancies. He is principal investigator on a phase I drug development grant funded by the National Cancer Institute, as well as a grant aimed at advancing assessment techniques for novel targeted cancer therapies.
In October 2008, he published groundbreaking research in the Journal of Clinical Oncology demonstrating an association between exposure to the hepatitis B virus (HBV) and heightened risk of pancreatic cancer.
With authorship exceeding 150 scholarly articles and book chapters, Abbruzzese also holds the role of Editor-in-Chief for the International Journal of Pancreatology. His editorial contributions extend to journals such as the Journal of Clinical Oncology and Clinical Cancer Research. Furthermore, he participates on the Scientific Advisory Board for the Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research.
Honors
In 2005, BioMedical Insights, Inc. recognized Abbruzzese as a National Thought Leader in pancreatic cancer, based on a survey involving hematologist/oncologists and medical oncologists nationwide. He is a Fellow of both the Royal Society of Medicine and the American College of Physicians.
The American Society of Clinical Oncology honored him with its Statesman Award in 2008.