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As a member of Susan G. Komen’s Scientific Advisory Board, UNC Lineberger’s Lisa A. Carey, MD, will be responsible for helping guide Komen’s $956-million research program – second only to the U.S. government in funding of breast cancer research.


Susan G. Komen, the world’s largest non-profit funder of breast cancer research, has named University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Lisa A. Carey, MD, to its Scientific Advisory Board. The members of Komen’s Scientific Advisory Board are responsible for helping guide the organization’s $956-million research program – second only to the U.S. government in funding of breast cancer research.

Carey is the Richardson and Marilyn Jacobs Preyer Distinguished Professor in Breast Cancer Research at UNC School of Medicine, Division Chief of Hematology and Oncology, and physician-in-chief of the N.C. Cancer Hospital, UNC Lineberger’ clinical home. She is internationally recognized for her research investigating the genetic underpinnings of the molecular subtypes of breast cancer, especially triple negative and HER2-positive breast cancer.

“Dr. Lisa Carey brings exceptional strengths to the Komen Scientific Advisory Board. A dedicated medical oncologist with a thriving clinical practice, she is also a talented clinical researcher at the national level, leading the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology Breast Cancer Committee,” said George W. Sledge, Jr., MD, chief scientific advisor for Komen. “Her research career defines what it means to be a translational researcher, with work that integrates important genomic findings into the clinic. As part of the Carolina Breast Cancer Study (funded for many years by Komen), her work has taught the field important lessons about triple negative breast cancer, particularly as it relates to African-American women. I can think of no finer addition to our board.”

A clinician-scientist, Carey has a longstanding research interest in the clinical application of laboratory findings in breast cancer, with a particular focus on the clinical implications of different molecular subtypes of breast cancer. She has directed a number of local and national clinical trials examining new drug combinations as well as studies assessing the genetic impact on breast cancer risk and behavior. Her research is widely cited in scientific publications, and she has presented her findings at the leading cancer meetings. She holds leadership roles with a number of national breast cancer research institutions, including serving on the National Cancer Institute’s Breast Cancer Steering Committee and being co-chair of the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology Breast Committee.

“Lisa Carey is an outstanding choice for Susan G. Komen’s scientific advisory board. She is an incredibly talented, caring clinician and an equally bright, highly productive scientist whose work has benefitted so many people, here in North Carolina, through the U.S. and across the globe,” said Shelton Earp, MD, director of UNC Lineberger. “She has the ability to provide critical perspective, to see the big picture and focus with laser precision, and to build consensus on critical clinical and research issues.”

Carey earned her medical degree from Johns Hopkins University, where she also completed her residency in internal medicine and fellowship in oncology. She also earned an advanced degree in clinical research at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health.