Overview
Dr. Beasley is an associate professor of surgery in the division of Surgical Oncology at Duke University with a secondary appointment as associate professor in the department of medicine. After playing 3 years in the women’s NBA, she began medical school. She obtained her MD (2008) and Masters of Health Science in clinical research (2010) from Duke University School of Medicine. She then completed general surgical residency at Duke University in 2015, during which time she was awarded a traineeship under a long-standing Surgical Oncology T32 grant. She then completed a fellowship in complex surgical oncology at the Ohio State University in 2017. She returned to Duke in 2017 as a faculty member. In 2019, she became co-director of the Duke Melanoma Program.
Dr. Beasley is a surgeon scientist with active involvement in clinical and translational research. Her main clinical and research interests include immunologic aspects of melanoma including oncolytic viral therapy. She is principal investigator of over 10 therapeutic clinical trials in melanoma including novel intratumoral therapies. Her research focuses on the role of innate immunity in the anti-tumor response. She has authored over 100 publications centered on melanoma. She has received multiple internal and external funding including the Society of Surgical Oncology’s Young Investigator Award, NIH K08 mentored physician scientist award, and Melanoma Research Alliance Grant.. Most recently she was selected to Duke Medical School’s Alpha Omega Alpha and received the American Society for Clinical Investigation Young Physician-Scientist Award.
Current Duke Appointments & Affiliations
Recent Scholarly Works
Tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte therapy in metastatic vulvar melanoma: A case report and review of the literature.
Journal article Gynecol Oncol Rep · June 2026 BACKGROUND: Vulvar melanoma is a rare and aggressive malignancy comprising less than 1% of all melanomas in women. Despite advances in immune checkpoint blockade, durable responses remain limited, and treatment of refractory disease poses a major challenge ... Full text Link to item CiteSafety and feasibility of intratumoral injection of RP1 or RP2 oncolytic immunotherapies in visceral metastases.
Journal article Journal of Clinical Oncology · June 1, 2026 2597Background: RPx is an investigational HSV-1-based oncolytic immunotherapy platform including RP1 (vusolimogene oderparepvec) and RP2. RP1 expresses GM-CSF and a fusogenic glycoprotein (GALV-GP-R–); RP2 also expresses an anti–CTLA-4 antibody- ... Full text CiteA 3-year landmark overall survival analysis of RP1 plus nivolumab in patients with anti–PD-1–failed melanoma from the IGNYTE clinical trial.
Conference Journal of Clinical Oncology · June 1, 2026 9518Background: Advanced melanoma has a high mortality rate; however, survival for pa ... Full text CiteRecent Grants
Development and Validation of Prognostic and Predictive AI biomarkers in Melanoma
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Valar Labs, Inc. · 2025 - 2030A Randomized, Controlled, Multicenter, Phase 3 Clinical Study Comparing Vusolimogene Oderparepvec in Combination with Nivolumab Versus Treatment of Physician's Choice in Patients with Advanced Melanoma That Has Progressed on an Anti-PD-1 and an Anti
Clinical TrialPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Replimune, Inc. · 2024 - 2029Duke Research Training Program in Surgical Oncology
Inst. Training Prgm or CMEMentor · Awarded by National Cancer Institute · 2024 - 2029View All Grants