Lisa A. Carey

Lisa A. Carey, MD, ScM, FASCO is the L. Richardson and Marilyn Jacobs Preyer Distinguished Professor for Breast Cancer Research at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine. She serves as the Deputy Director of Clinical Sciences at UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and Director of the UNC Lineberger Center for Triple Negative Breast Cancer. Dr. Carey is an internationally recognized breast cancer physician-researcher whose work has significantly advanced the understanding and treatment of breast cancer subtypes.

Dr. Carey's research focuses on breast cancer, with particular expertise in molecular subtypes, especially triple negative breast cancer. Her work spans the spectrum from early curative breast cancer to metastatic disease, with significant contributions to neoadjuvant chemotherapy strategies, evaluation of new chemotherapy agents, and examination of tumor characteristics that predict response to therapy. She led groundbreaking research identifying the elevated risk of basal-like breast cancer in young African-American women and conducted the first trial examining new drug regimens for triple negative breast cancer.

Her recent publication record demonstrates a strong focus on advancing precision medicine in breast cancer, with work spanning biomarker discovery, novel therapeutic approaches including targeted therapies and immunotherapies, treatment optimization for different breast cancer subtypes, and addressing health disparities in breast cancer care. Her research increasingly incorporates genomic and transcriptomic analyses to better understand treatment responses and resistance mechanisms.

• OncLive Giants of Cancer Care Award, 2025
• Ned Brooks Award for Public Service, The Carolina Center for Public Service, UNC-Chapel Hill, 2024
• Member, Board of Directors of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, 2020
• Fellow of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, 2019
• Member, Susan G. Komen Scientific Advisory Board, 2018
• UNC Healthcare System Excellence in Care Award, 2018
• Co-Chairperson, Breast Committee, Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology, 2016

Dr. Carey holds significant leadership roles in national cancer research initiatives, serving on the National Cancer Institute Breast Cancer Steering Committee and as Co-Chair of the NCI-sponsored Alliance Breast Committee. She has led numerous clinical trials, including large NCI-sponsored studies, and her Tumor Donation Program has contributed novel information regarding genetic differences between primary breast cancer and metastases. Her work has spawned the AURORA-US multicenter initiative examining the molecular landscape of metastatic disease, where she serves on the Steering Committee.

As Director of the UNC Lineberger Center for Triple Negative Breast Cancer, Dr. Carey leads a dedicated team focused on understanding and developing treatments for this aggressive breast cancer subtype. Her research program integrates clinical trials with translational research, working closely with scientists across UNC Lineberger and the UNC Gillings Global School of Public Health to better characterize molecular subtypes of breast cancer.