Dr. Durden will lead efforts to develop and apply targeted, personalized drug therapies for pediatric and adult cancer at Children’s, UNMC and beyond. His innovative research and expertise align with Children’s vision: “To be a global leader for children’s health.”
He has been named chief of the inaugural division of computational chemistry and innovative therapeutics, in addition to his role as professor within the department of pediatrics at Children’s/UNMC. He also serves as interim division chief of pediatric hematology/oncology and holds the Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Chair of Pediatric Oncology.
Dr. Durden will be the CHRI’s lead pediatric cancer investigator and help lead its scientific committee, while serving as associate director for pediatric oncology research at the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center. Within the UNMC College of Pharmacy, Dr. Durden will serve as director of computational chemistry.
“We’re enabled by science and driven by compassion,” Dr. Durden said. “When we see a 3-year-old completely paralyzed with a brain tumor, we have the burning desire to find a cure for that child. To this aim, we will develop within Children’s a Phase I/II clinical trial infrastructure to ensure children in Nebraska, the region and beyond are receiving the very best, most innovative therapeutics.”
Prior to joining the teams at Children’s and UNMC, Dr. Durden was vice chair of research and professor of pediatrics at the University of California San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine. At the Moores UCSD Cancer Center, he served as associate director for pediatric oncology and co-director of its Cancer Genetics Clinic.
Previously, Dr. Durden was at Emory University School of Medicine, where he was a professor of pediatrics, Aflac Endowed Chair and scientific director of basic and translational research at its Aflac Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders. Dr. Durden received his M.D. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Miami School of Medicine. He completed his pediatrics residency and pediatric hematology/oncology fellowship at Seattle Children’s Hospital and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center.
“Dr. Durden’s scientific breakthroughs have led to safer, more effective cancer treatments for children,” said Richard G. Azizkhan, M.D., president & CEO of Children’s Hospital & Medical Center. “His work is nothing short of life-changing – and game-changing in terms of how we target and inhibit cancer cells. He is a true pioneer in the field of pediatric cancer research, and we could not be more excited to have him in Omaha benefiting the children and families we serve.”
“Dr. Durden’s recruitment is a perfect example of how the partnership between UNMC and Children’s is taking pediatric cancer care to a whole new level in our community and the region,” said UNMC Chancellor Jeffrey P. Gold, M.D. “He is a true superstar in the cancer field. It speaks volumes for the quality of our pediatrics program that he would bring his world-class expertise to Nebraska.”
About Children’s Hospital & Medical Center
Children’s Hospital & Medical Center is the only full-service, pediatric health care center in Nebraska, providing expertise in more than 50 pediatric specialty services to children across a five-state region and beyond. Children’s is home to Nebraska’s only Level IV regional Newborn Intensive Care Unit and the state’s only Level II Pediatric Trauma Center. A regional heart center, it also offers expertise in pediatric heart transplantation. Children’s is recognized as a 2018-19 Best Children’s Hospital by U.S. News & World Report in five pediatric specialties: Cardiology and Heart Surgery, Pulmonology, Gastroenterology & GI Surgery, Orthopedics and Diabetes & Endocrine Disorders. Visit us online at ChildrensOmaha.org.
About UNMC
We are Nebraska Medicine and UNMC. Our mission is to lead the world in transforming lives to create a healthy future for all individuals and communities through premier educational programs, innovative research and extraordinary patient care.