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Ken H Young

Professor of Pathology
Pathology
1-919-668-7568, 40 Medicine Circle, Durham, NC 27710
40 Duke Medicine Circle, Box #3712 DUHS, Durham, NC 27710

Overview


I am a clinically-oriented diagnostic physician with clinical expertise in the pathologic diagnosis of hematologic cancers including tumors of the bone marrow, lymphoid tissue, spleen and pre-malignant hematologic conditions. Another area of interest is blood cancer classification with molecular and genetic profiling. In the research program, we focus on molecular mechanisms of tumor progression, cell-of-origin, biomarkers, and novel therapeutic strategies in lymphoma, myeloma and leukemia. In addition to patient care and translational research, medical education and communication are also part of focus. I provide persistent support for the physician-scientist program and Blood Cancer Pathology program in the department and cancer center. Many residents, fellows, graduates and postdocs have worked and been trained in our program. We perform comprehensive clinical and research functions that include bone marrow, lymphoma pathology, clinical flow cytometry, cytogenetics, molecular diagnostics and outside services.

I am currently the director of hematopathology division and Vice Chair of Research in the Department that provides diagnostic consultation services and relevant specialized testing for patients with various types of acute and chronic leukemia, lymphoma and benign hematologic disorders. I am specialized in the diagnosis of hematological disorders, including acute and chronic leukemias, myelodysplastic syndromes, myeloproliferative neoplasms, B and T-cell lymphomas, Hodgkin lymphoma, cutaneous and orbital lymphomas and benign bone marrow and lymph node disorders. 

Our clinical and research collaborative groups have been supported by various funding resources since 2006 and have published more than 300 original peer-reviewed articles and review articles, many in high- impact journals (Nature Clin Onc Rev, JCO, JAMA, Lancet, Blood, JHO, Leukemia and Clinical Cancer Research). The contributions to the hematology field include the development of novel diagnostic algorithms, molecular and genetic biomarkers for classification of blood cancer, lymphoid neoplasms and lymphoid diseases.

Office Hours


Division of Hematopathology and Department of Pathology, Duke University School of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center and Cancer Institute, 40 Duke Medicine Circle, Room 265M, Box 3712, Duke South, Green Zone, Durham, NC 27710. Office Phone: 1-919-668-7568

Current Appointments & Affiliations


Professor of Pathology · 2019 - Present Pathology, Clinical Science Departments
Member of the Duke Cancer Institute · 2019 - Present Duke Cancer Institute, Institutes and Centers

Recent Publications


CD151 interacts with integrin beta 2 in B cell lymphomas.

Journal Article Cell Mol Life Sci · June 4, 2025 CD151 is a broadly expressed four-transmembrane protein (tetraspanin) that interacts with laminin-binding integrins like integrin alpha 3 (ITGA3). CD151 drives tumor development and expression correlates with poor prognosis in solid cancers, but CD151 has ... Full text Link to item Cite

Practical microenvironment classification in diffuse large B cell lymphoma using digital pathology.

Journal Article Cell Rep Med · April 15, 2025 Diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is a heterogeneous B cell neoplasm with variable clinical outcomes influenced by both tumor-derived and lymphoma microenvironment (LME) alterations. A recent transcriptomic study identifies four DLBCL subtypes based on ... Full text Link to item Cite

Lasalocid A selectively induces the degradation of MYD88 in lymphomas harboring the MYD88 L265P mutation.

Journal Article Blood · March 6, 2025 Myeloid differentiation primary response protein 88 (MYD88) is a key adaptor molecule in the signaling pathways of toll-like receptor and interleukin-1 receptor. A somatic mutation resulting in a leucine-to-proline change at position 265 of the MYD88 prote ... Full text Link to item Cite
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Recent Grants


PD-L1 Modifications in Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Baylor College of Medicine · 2025 - 2030

Cancer Prevention-Interception against MGUS Progression (Admin Core)

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Baylor College of Medicine · 2023 - 2027

Spatially resolved, single cell biomarkers of B cell lymphoma

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Cedars Sinai Medical Center · 2022 - 2026

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Education, Training & Certifications


Lund University (Sweden) · 1995 Ph.D.
Zhejiang University (China) · 1984 M.D.