On August 11, 2025, Kevin Tanager, MD, joined Duke Pathology as an assistant professor in Gastrointestinal Pathology and Liver Pathology.
Tanager's recent academic interests include the association between primary sclerosing cholangitis & inflammatory bowel disease, as well as comparing detection methods of occult metastatic colorectal cancer. He is also a passionate educator who underscores the diagnostic importance of integrating clinical context with gross pathological findings to support accurate conclusions. He maintains board-certification in both anatomic and clinical pathology (AP/CP).
Originally hailing from Chicago, Illinois, Tanager graduated from Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana, followed by University of Michigan Medical School in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He completed his AP/CP residency at University of Chicago, during which he also served one year as co-chief resident.
After finishing his residency, he completed a four-year active duty service commitment in the United States Air Force as a staff pathologist at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio. The service included sign-out of surgical pathology & cytopathology cases, as well as medical directorship of blood services (both transfusion & donor center).
After concluding his military service, he returned to the University of Chicago (UC) for a fellowship in gastrointestinal & hepatic pathology under the mentorship of John Hart, MD, and Namrata Setia, MD.
“Outside of pathology, I spend my time birdwatching, running marathons, and going on adventures with my wife, Claire, and our young son, Theo,” said Tanager. “For a fun fact, I competed (and lost) as a contestant on the gameshow Jeopardy!, but I still enjoy pub trivia. I’m thrilled to join the Duke community!”