Duke Welcomes Duke-NUS Dean-Designate Patrick Tan

By Rikki Camarillo

October 13, 2025

Image: Duke-NUS Dean-designate Patrick Tan speaks in front of a large screen, illustrating key points for the audience's understanding.

Last week, the Office of Duke-NUS Affairs welcomed Professor Patrick Tan, MD, PhD, and dean-designate of Duke-NUS Medical School, to Duke University.

His visit marked a meaningful moment in the ongoing collaboration between Duke and Duke-NUS and brought together senior leaders and faculty to reflect on the future of the partnership.

Tan, an internationally renowned cancer geneticist and clinician-scientist, will assume the role of dean of Duke-NUS on January 1, 2026. He will succeed Dean Thomas Coffman, MD, the school’s longest-serving dean, whose tenure since 2015 has significantly shaped Duke-NUS’ academic and research landscape.

Currently, Tan serves as senior vice-dean for research at Duke-NUS, a role he began in July 2023. He also holds concurrent appointments as executive director of Precision Health Research Singapore (PRECISE), where he coordinates Singapore’s National Precision Medicine program, and senior scientific advisor for Group Research at SingHealth. He is an adjunct professor at Duke University and has been a faculty member of Duke-NUS’ Cancer and Stem Cell Biology Signature Research Program since 2006, where he leads research on the genomics of cancers prevalent in Asia.

Tan earned his bachelor’s degree summa cum laude from Harvard University, and an MD/PhD from Stanford University. Over the course of his career, he has received multiple national and international awards, including the American Association for Cancer Research Team Science Award, marking the first time an Asian team received the honor. He is also an elected member of the Association of American Physicians.

Image: Dean Mary Klotman, Duke-NUS Dean-designate Patrick Tan, and Edward Buckley, MD, pose in front of a screen that reads "Welcome Dean-designate Patrick Tan." — Dean Mary E. Klotman and Duke-NUS Affairs Vice President Edward Buckley welcomes Professor Patrick Tan, MD, PhD, to Duke, highlighting the continued strength of the Duke-Duke-NUS partnership.

During the visit, Mary E. Klotman, MD, executive vice president for health affairs and dean of the Duke University School of Medicine, and Edward Buckley, vice president of Duke-NUS Affairs, delivered remarks honoring the leadership transition and reinforcing the strength of the partnership. They praised Tan’s strategic vision, research leadership, and commitment to shared purpose.

The visit took place as Duke-NUS marks its 20th anniversary this year, a fitting backdrop for a new chapter of academic medicine focused on advancing scientific discovery through meaningful partnerships and real-world application.

The event drew several distinguished members of Duke’s leadership community. R. Sanders “Sandy” Williams, MD, former dean of the School of Medicine and a founding leader of Duke-NUS, offered brief remarks celebrating Tan’s appointment and his ambitious vision for the future.

Also present was Provost Alec Gallimore, whose attendance underscored the strategic importance of the Duke-Duke-NUS partnership to the university’s global academic mission.

Image: In an office, Duke University Provost Alec Gallimore and Duke-NUS Dean-designate Patrick Tan pose with a book in hand. — Duke Provost Alec Gallimore welcomes Professor Patrick Tan, MD, PhD, and dean-designate of Duke-NUS Medical School, during a campus visit recognizing the School’s 20th anniversary and the next chapter of Duke-Duke-NUS collaboration.

With deep institutional ties and a shared commitment to advancing global health, this leadership transition marks not only a moment of celebration but one of renewed momentum. Under Tan’s leadership, Duke-NUS is poised to expand its impact across Asia and beyond—through pioneering research, transformative education, and strengthened collaboration with Duke and its global partners. As the School enters its third decade, the Duke-Duke-NUS partnership is well-positioned to shape the future of academic medicine for years to come.

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