MD, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Medicine and Department of Microbiology and Immunology
UNC-Chapel Hill
Immunology Research Program
Area of Interest
Brent Hanks, MD, PhD, is a laboratory-based physician-scientist that manages advanced skin cancer patients as well as patients with upper gastrointestinal malignancies.
In addition to providing patient care, Hanks leads a research lab focused on tumor-mediated immune evasion and immunotherapy resistance. His work explores tumor-intrinsic mechanisms of immune evasion, tumor-driven manipulation of dendritic cell functionality, and the role of tumor-mediated innate training in immunotherapy resistance and immunotherapy-associated toxicities.
Clinical interests: skin cancer, gastric and esophageal cancer, immunotherapy-associated toxicities (immune-related adverse events (irAEs)), biomarker-driven immunotherapy clinical trials, management of cancer patients with standard-of-care immunotherapy-refractory disease, management of cancer patients with a history of autoimmunity or inflammatory disease
Basic and translational interests: tumor-dependent mechanisms of dendritic cell tolerization, dendritic cell antigen cross-presentation in the tumor microenvironment, genetically targeting dendritic cells in situ, tumor-intrinsic signaling pathways that promote primary and adaptive resistance to immunotherapy including the NLRP3 inflammasome and various EMT-associated pathways, tumor-induced recruitment and activation of myeloid-derived suppressor cells, tumor-dependent innate training of myeloid progenitor cells, tumor-mediated immune evasion in dormancy and disease relapse
Awards and Honors
- Duke Department of Medicine Distinguished Research Publication Award, 2024
- Elected Member, American Society of Clinical Investigation (ASCI), 2024
- V Foundation 30th Anniversary Gala Therapy Resistance Award, 2024
- Cancer Research Institute CLIP Award, 2022
- ASCO/CCF Advanced Clinical Research Award in Tumor Immunotherapy, 2021
- Duke Department of Medicine Basic and Translational Research Mentoring Award, 2019
- William Dalton Family Endowed Assistant Professorship, 2019
- American Society for Clinical Investigation Young Physician Scientist Award, 2018
- Duke Health Scholar Award, Duke University Health System, 2016
- Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy (ACGT) Young Investigator Award, 2016
- Melanoma Research Alliance (MRA) Young Investigator Award, 2016
- American Society of Clinical Oncology Merit Award, American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), 2012
- North Carolina Oncology Association Fellows Award, North Carolina Oncology Association, 2011
- American Society of Clinical Oncology Merit Award, American Society of Clinical Oncology, 2011
- Duke University Hematology/Oncology Silber Memorial Research Award, Duke University, 2011
- Alpha Omega Alpha, Duke University, 2010
- Duke University Robert Califf Resident Research Award, 2008
- Duke University Barton Haynes Resident Research Award, 2007
- MD/PhD Best Overall Performance in Medical School, Baylor College of Medicine, 2006
News and Stories
UNC Lineberger and UNC faculty and trainees scheduled to present findings at American Association of Cancer Research Annual Meeting
UNC Lineberger researchers will present findings, chair sessions, lead session discussions and share their perspectives in topical forums and education sessions during the AACR Annual Meeting.
Brent Hanks, MD, PhD, aims to advance cancer immunotherapy in the lab and clinic
Hanks has joined the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, the UNC School of Medicine and UNC Health as an associate professor of medicine.
