Overview
Dr. Cooney is Chair of the Duke Department of Medicine.
She is a medical oncologist focused in caring for men with prostate cancer, and is internationally known for her investigations focused on the genetic epidemiology of prostate cancer.
Her research led to the important discovery of a recurrent mutation in the HOXB13 gene that increases the chances of being diagnosed with prostate cancer and is estimated to account for 5 percent of hereditary prostate cancer cases worldwide. Since men with HOXB13 mutations are at an increased risk of prostate cancer, they may benefit from participation in screening and potentially prevention protocols in the future.
Dr. Cooney’s research continues with a focus on identifying germline mutations associated with lethal and aggressive prostate cancer as well as prostate cancer in African American men.
She is a medical oncologist focused in caring for men with prostate cancer, and is internationally known for her investigations focused on the genetic epidemiology of prostate cancer.
Her research led to the important discovery of a recurrent mutation in the HOXB13 gene that increases the chances of being diagnosed with prostate cancer and is estimated to account for 5 percent of hereditary prostate cancer cases worldwide. Since men with HOXB13 mutations are at an increased risk of prostate cancer, they may benefit from participation in screening and potentially prevention protocols in the future.
Dr. Cooney’s research continues with a focus on identifying germline mutations associated with lethal and aggressive prostate cancer as well as prostate cancer in African American men.
Current Duke Appointments & Affiliations
George Barth Geller Distinguished Professor of Medicine
·
2020 - Present
Medicine, Medical Oncology,
Medicine
Professor of Medicine
·
2018 - Present
Medicine, Medical Oncology,
Medicine
Chair, Department of Medicine
·
2018 - Present
Medicine,
Clinical Science Departments
Member of the Duke Cancer Institute
·
2018 - Present
Duke Cancer Institute,
Institutes and Centers
Member of Duke Molecular Physiology Institute
·
2022 - Present
Duke Molecular Physiology Institute,
Institutes and Centers
Recent Scholarly Works
Sustaining undergraduate medical education leadership: An AAIM statement on protected time and support for internal medicine clerkship directors.
Journal article Am J Med · June 4, 2026 Full text Link to item CiteProstate Cancer, Genetic Susceptibility, and Risk of Chronic Non-Urological Complications.
Journal article Prostate · June 2026 BACKGROUND: Chronic nonurological complications are common among prostate cancer (PCa) survivors; however, their spectrum, magnitude, and genetic contribution remain poorly characterized. METHODS: We evaluated 15 commonly reported nonurological complicatio ... Full text Link to item CiteAssociation between the rs72725854(A>T) allele and prostate cancer in males of African ancestry in a US population-based database.
Conference Journal of Clinical Oncology · June 1, 2026 10504Background: Black males have a 70% excess incidence of and two-fold higher morta ... Full text CiteRecent Grants
Genetic Variation in Cancer Risk and Outcomes in African Americans
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Wayne State University · 2024 - 2030Characterizing the Genetic Landscape of Prostate Cancer in Young African American Men - HDRA
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Department of Defense · 2016 - 2022The Contribution of Rare Variants in Familial Clustering of Prostate and Breast Cancer in African Americans
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Wayne State University · 2018 - 2020View All Grants
Education
University of Pennsylvania, School of Medicine ·
1984
M.D.