Dr. Michael Kastan Named Duke Cancer Institute Executive Director
Sometimes curing cancer seems like the Battle of Thermopylae with the brave but vastly outnumbered Greeks (doctors, researchers, nurses and administrators) facing cancer's vast Persian Empire. Is there a greater battle? Eleven million people live with cancer in the United States alone, a number projected to be thirty million by 2030. Is there a bigger economic, cultural and human priority than curing cancer?
Michael Kastan M.D. PhD, the Duke Cancer Institute's new Executive Director, doesn't think cancer will win the battle of the 300. Dr. Kastan's life is dedicated to helping cancer patients and curing cancer. He joins an impressive management team at the Duke Cancer Institute headed by Duke Health Chancellor Dr. Victor Dzau at a critical time and when time is critical.
The "Wikization of Medicine" as outlined by MacroWikinomics is upon us. Information silos must give way to rapid prototyping, information sharing and a NonZero attitude. NonZero, as outlined by Robert Wright, focuses on doing the right and natural thing - sharing. In a social media enabled and Google-search fueled world doing the right thing becomes the right thing to do.
Is Kurzweil's Singularity here? Does every cancer researcher and institute clasp hands singing Kumbaya around the fire tomorrow? Yes and no. Learning what it means to Wiki-ize medicine in a NonZero world takes time. Good news is medicine, as are we all, is now on global Internet time. Change happens faster. Curation tools, tools that help doctors, lawyers, you and me make sense of our crazy modern life, multiple daily.
Dr. Kastan brings impressive credentials to his most important professional fight. As long as the Duke community forgive his UNC roots (a BIG deal around here in Durham and Chapel Hill), Dr. Kastan will cure cancer in our lifetime by creating a magical blend of research, patient care and the political will needed to get this job done. Cancer patients, friends and families around the world wish Dr. Kastan God Speed, say welcome to Durham and want him to know the time to cure cancer is NOW!
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