The Duke Department of Surgery has named Georgia M. Beasley, MD, MHS, FACS as Chief of the Division of Surgical Oncology.
Dr. Beasley has been a member of the Duke Surgery faculty since 2017. At Duke, she has served as Section Chief of Melanoma Surgery since 2022 and as co-Director of the Duke Cancer Institute’s melanoma and advanced skin cancers disease group since 2019. During her time in these roles, patient volume for these cancers has more than tripled.
Dr. Beasley is a member of the Society of Surgical Oncology (SSO) Board of Directors, chair of the SSO melanoma disease site working group, and a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) scientific review committee. She also serves on the American Board of Surgery (ABS) Board of Examiners for surgical oncology, as well as several other ABS committees.
Dr. Beasley is a clinical innovator who has led more than 15 clinical trials. She has been the site principal investigator (PI) for several clinical trials that have led to FDA approvals, and she has led teams to bring three new FDA-approved therapies and one new device designation to patients. Her contributions in cancer therapeutics were recognized with a secondary appointment in Duke’s Department of Medicine, in the Division of Medical Oncology. She has received funding for basic and translational research from multiple sources, and she has served as PI of a Department of Defense Team Science Award and a Melanoma Research Alliance grant. Her research has led to publication in multiple high-impact journals, including a recent analysis of transcriptome data in Science Advances. Dr. Beasley has also successfully mentored numerous trainees in research projects and clinical practice, including serving as a mentor on a recent NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) and supporting several research assistants and residents who are now in medical school, residencies, fellowships, and junior faculty positions.
Dr. Beasley has earned three degrees from Duke: a BA in Environmental Sciences & Policy, a Masters in Health Sciences, and an MD. She trained as a Resident in General Surgery at Duke and as a General Surgery Oncology Fellow at The Ohio State University.
“Georgia Beasley is an outstanding surgeon, educator, and researcher, with an international reputation in surgical oncology and melanoma. She is an outstanding leader. We couldn’t be more delighted to see her step into this new leadership role,” Duke Surgery Chair Peter J. Allen, MD, said.
Dr. Beasley said, “I am thrilled to serve in this role and continue the legacy of Surgical Oncology at Duke University.”
Dr. Beasley succeeds Dan G. “Trey” Blazer, III, MD, MEM, FACS, who has served as interim Chief since September 2025, when Dr. Allen left the Chief role to begin his service as Chair. The department thanks Dr. Blazer for his contribution to the division during this transition and looks forward to his continued leadership as the department’s Vice Chair for Faculty Affairs.
Please join us in congratulating Dr. Beasley on her appointment as Chief.