On May 12, 2026, Professor of Pathology and Senior Vice Chair Rex Bentley, MD, was honored with this year’s Excellence in Professionalism Award at the 2026 Duke School of Medicine Awards Celebration at the Trent Semans Center in Durham, North Carolina.
“Dr. Bentley is known as a pillar of excellence in our department – valued for his altruism, willingness to help others without expectation of reward, and generosity with his time and knowledge,” said Johnston-West Endowed Department Chair of Pathology Jiaoti Huang, MD, PhD.
Huang shared that a former trainee wrote, “His positive energy always lights up a room, and working with him has left a lasting impression on me of what true professionalism looks like.” Another said, “World-class institutions like Duke rise and fall on the backs of special, one-of-a-kind faculty members like Rex Bentley.”
Bentley’s outcome-based research centers on the pathology of endometrial carcinoma, a type of cancer that starts in the lining of the uterus, called the endometrium. He also focuses on endometrial pathology, especially as it relates to molecular/genetic alterations in neoplasms, and on ovarian pathology, chiefly as it relates to molecular and genetic alterations in neoplasms. He seeks to improve the accuracy of radiographic screening for breast cancer by careful patho-radiographic correlation and study of improved imaging techniques (especially ultrasound).
Bentley is a member of the Duke Cancer Institute and served as Duke Pathology’s chair and director of Surgical Pathology from 2016-2024. He continues his clinical, educational, and academic activities and serves as a mentor and a consultant to department members.