Duncan Family Institute for Cancer Prevention and Risk Assessment

The Duncan Family Institute, formed in 2008 through a generous gift from the Duncan Family, is advancing the science and practice of cancer prevention by accelerating the discovery and translation of new knowledge about cancer risk factors and developing innovative ways to reduce risk and prevent cancer while expanding our studies to attack multiple risk factors using complementary strategies. 

Scientists affiliated with the institute are discovering the roles and effects of the interaction of biologic, genetic, environmental, behavioral and social factors in cancer development, investigating new medical and lifestyle interventions and the effect of the combination of these on reducing cancer risk, and increasing the pace of translation of discovery to the clinic and the community so that, ultimately, the benefits of our discoveries help reduce the overall burden of cancer.

The Duncan Family Institute aims to enable MD Anderson to:

• Become recognized as a premier center committed to cancer prevention research and practice with a specific goal of reducing the morbidity and mortality of cancer and its treatment
• Emerge as a definitive resource for educating the public and health care professionals about state-of-the-art practices in cancer prevention, the critical role that research plays in advancing knowledge and increasing our ability to offer better options tomorrow
• Train future generations of researchers and practitioners committed to cancer prevention and to improving and sustaining health