Leadership/Faculty/Staff

Our leaders, Director Darell D. Bigner, MD, PhD, and Deputy Directors Allan H. Friedman, MD, and Henry S. Friedman, MD, are internationally recognized physician scientists who have had many decades of experience studying and treating brain and spinal cord tumors. They and the faculty and staff are committed to finding new treatments and to providing the very best care to the patients that seek their help.

"My name is Darell Bigner. I lead the research program of the Brain Tumor Center. I chose this work because current treatment and prevention of brain tumors is inadequate. Hope to me means that there are better ways to treat and ultimately prevent brain tumors. Many of those discoveries will take place at Duke."

"My name is Allan Friedman, and I am the Chief of the Division of Neurosurgery. I chose this field because of my strong commitment and desire to help patients afflected with neurological diseases. Malignant brain tumors ruin the lives of healthy, vibrant members of our society. Advances in medicine and surgery, fostered through dedicated research, have given us the tools to provide those patients with additional useful time. Hope to me means that with continued hard work and dedication, malignant brain tumors will be curable in the future."

"My name is Henry Friedman. I am a neuro-oncologist and co-direct the Brain Tumor Center at Duke. I chose this work because I want to try and help people with brain tumors. Hope to me means being given the chance to live a long and happy life with one's family and friends."

Interdisciplinary Approach

We believe an interdisciplinary approach is required for quality care. We customize every patient’s care from among the many specialists in our staff of more than 100 professionals. Care teams meet daily to discuss patients’ medical and psychosocial needs and bring every viewpoint to the table.