Duane A Mitchell

Duane A. Mitchell, M.D., Ph.D., is the Phyllis Kottler Friedman Professor in Neurological Surgery at the University of Florida (UF). He holds multiple leadership roles: Director of the UF Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI), Associate Dean for Clinical and Translational Sciences at the UF College of Medicine, and Co-Director of the Preston A. Wells, Jr. Center for Brain Tumor Therapy. Mitchell earned his MD/PhD from Duke University and conducted postdoctoral training in neuro-oncology. His research focuses on immunotherapy for brain tumors, particularly developing novel treatments like CMV antigen-targeted vaccines and mRNA-based therapies. He has led over $40M in NIH-funded grants and holds 25 patents in cancer therapeutics. Mitchell's work has advanced translational medicine, with clinical trials demonstrating durable responses in glioblastoma patients. He chairs national advisory boards, including the NCI Board of Scientific Counselors.

Education: Medical Scientist Training Program (MD/PhD) at Duke University (completed pre-2005). Research emphasizes immune checkpoint inhibition, CAR T-cell therapies, and tumor microenvironment modulation. His lab collaborates with industry and academia to bridge preclinical and clinical research. Notable achievements include pioneering CMV pp65 vaccine trials and discovering CCR2 inhibition's role in enhancing immunotherapy efficacy.

Grants and Awards: Over $40M in NIH funding since 2009; 2016 Clinical Research Forum Award; 2019 American Society for Clinical Investigation membership; 2020 Florida Academy of Science induction. His teams investigate tumor metabolism, slow-cycling glioma cells, and biomarker-driven immunotherapies. The Preston A. Wells Center, co-led by Mitchell, is a national leader in brain tumor care and research, treating patients from 35+ states.