Lisa Carey

Lisa Carey is a leading expert in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and breast cancer molecular subtypes at UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. Her work has been foundational in characterizing TNBC as a heterogeneous disease with distinct molecular subtypes — including basal-like, mesenchymal, immunomodulatory, and luminal androgen receptor (LAR) subtypes — each with different biology and potentially different therapeutic vulnerabilities. This molecular taxonomy, developed through the Carolina Breast Cancer Study and related genomic investigations, has guided the development of subtype-specific clinical trials. Carey has led multiple neoadjuvant clinical trials in TNBC, recognizing early that neoadjuvant chemotherapy provides a unique opportunity to assess in vivo drug sensitivity and that pathologic complete response strongly predicts long-term outcomes. She has contributed to understanding why some TNBC tumors respond dramatically to neoadjuvant therapy while others do not, and she has advocated for post-neoadjuvant strategies such as capecitabine in residual disease. Her research also encompasses inflammatory breast cancer, a particularly aggressive presentation with unique biology. She has been a leading voice in cooperative group trial design for TNBC and sits on national guideline panels, shaping standards for TNBC treatment. Her commitment to health disparities research — particularly the overrepresentation of Black women among TNBC cases — has been a hallmark of her career.