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Elizabeth Claire Dees

Claire Dees, MD, MSc, ScM, is a UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center member and medical oncologist. She specializes in breast cancer and early phase clinical trials.

MD, ScM
Professor of Medicine, Division of Oncology
Interim Co-Associate Director, Cancer Research Training Education Coordination
Director, Early Phase Clinical Research and Drug Development, UNC Lineberger
Co-Leader, UNC Lineberger Clinical Research Program
UNC-Chapel Hill
Breast Cancer
Clinical Research
UNC Breast Center

Meet Claire Dees

Area of Interest

I am an experienced medical oncologist and clinical trialist. I am a Professor of Medicine at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, and a member of UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and the UNC Breast Center. I founded our Developmental Therapeutics (Phase I trials) Working Group at UNC-LCCC, and now direct the early phase clinical trials program, and the breast cancer clinical trials group. I co-lead the LCCC Clinical Research Program. My research focuses on early phase clinical trials of novel therapeutics, especially those focused on breast cancer. I have been the principal investigator for over 100 trials including 10 currently open early phase trials. I am the PI at UNC for the current Duke-UNC-Wash U Partnership in the ETCTN (UM1 grant), as well as a co-investigator on our NCTN grant and site PI for NRG. I have authored or co-authored over 85 papers. I am a member of the CALGB (ALLIANCE) pharmacogenomics and pharmacology committee, and have been a member of ASCO program committees, ABIM Medical Oncology Board Certification committee, peer review panels for DOD, Komen, and NIH, and also an ad hoc reviewer for a number of journals. I have co-mentored a number of fellows in oncology and pharmacology.

Find publications on PubMed

Awards and Honors

  • UNC Health Care and Faculty Physicians Award for Carolina Care Excellence, 2015,  2017, 2018, 2019
  • Forbes™ Top 27 Breast Cancer Experts in the Country, 2017
  • Best Doctors in America®, 2007, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2017
  • Komen Scientific Advisory Council member 2010-present
  • Fellow, Academic Leadership Program, 2010
  • UNC Planetree Physician Champion Award, 2007
  • K23 Patient Oriented Career Development Award, 2002
  • Doris Duke Clinical Scientist Development Award, 2001