Hale Family Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research

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Our Mission

  • Accelerating pancreatic cancer research
  • Translating discoveries into improved patient outcomes
  • Fostering collaboration at Dana-Farber and across Boston’s biomedical community

About the Center

The Hale Family Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research, directed by Brian Wolpin, MD, MPH, is fueling a pioneering effort to address challenges in pancreatic cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. The work being done in the Hale Center is already transforming our understanding about the biology driving this disease.

The Hale Family Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research is uniting experts in the areas of:

The Center is driving a concerted, multidisciplinary effort that has already led to substantial advances in understanding the molecular basis for pancreatic cancer and in developing novel therapies. Some of our cutting-edge approaches include the use of:

  • Tumor organoid cultures
  • Patient-derived xenografts
  • Genetically-engineered mouse models

As a catalyst for discovery, the Hale Family Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research:

  • Has facilitated numerous high-impact publications
  • Has led to additional grant funding (PanCAN, Lustgarten)
  • Has already made a clinical impact

The Hale Center is actively seeking partnerships within the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries to promote new treatment modalities. We welcome new alliances that can lead to accomplishing this goal.

The Hale Center was founded by a generous donation from the Hale Family. In 2007, the Robert T. Hale Sr. and Judith B. Hale Fund for Pancreatic Cancer Research was established, marking the beginning of the Hale Family’s long legacy of giving. Over the next few years, the family’s visionary philanthropy would lead to the creation of the Hale Family Research Center at Dana-Farber and the Robert T. and Judith B. Hale Chair in Pancreatic Cancer at Dana-Farber, currently held by Dr. Wolpin.

Our Investigators

The following investigators are currently affiliated with the Hale Family Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research:

Brian M. Wolpin, MD, MPH
Andrew Aguirre, MD, PhD
James Cleary, MD, PhD
Stephanie K. Dougan, PhD
Nathanael Gray, PhD
William C. Hahn, MD, PhD
Joseph D. Mancias, MD, PhD
Kimberly Perez, MD
Franziska Michor, PhD
Michael Rosenthal, MD, PhD
Sahar Nissim, MD, PhD

Learn More About the Center

Read more about the Hale Center's investigators, research efforts, and discoveries.

Pancreatic Cancer: New Treatment and Research Opportunities

Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center is the first center in New England to offer magnetic resonance imaging or MRI-guided radiation therapy technologies. This video explores what that means for pancreatic cancer patients.