Dennis Slamon

New Capabilities

As of July 2026: Continuing HER2 research

Metastatic breast cancer typically kills most patients within five years. A small group of women vaccinated in a Duke University clinical trial two decades ago have defied that prognosis entirely; all remain alive today. Researchers found these survivors still carry specialized immune cells that recognize their cancer, offering a model for why some therapeutic vaccines produce lasting results.

Updated Jul 9

New Capabilities

As of May 2026: Director, UCLA Clinical/Translational Research

The U.S. breast cancer death rate has fallen 44% since its 1989 peak—an estimated 546,000 lives saved. Susan G. Komen's 2026 Progress Outlook attributes three-quarters of this decline to treatment advances and the remainder to earlier detection through mammography screening.

Updated May 26