On Jan. 1, 2025, Vice Chair of Faculty Sarah Bean, MD, and Pathology Professor Mikhail (Misha) A. Nikiforov, PhD, assumed leadership of the department’s Appointment, Promotions, and Tenure (APT) Committee. The role was previously held by David N. Howell, MD, PhD, who served as chair for eight years.
As chair of the APT Committee, Bean will support clinical faculty within the department. As vice chair, Nikiforov will provide support for the department’s basic science faculty.
“Drs. Bean and Nikiforov both have a rich history of fostering the well-being and career development of colleagues and mentees,” said Howell. “They already have made important contributions to our APT Committee as members and will provide outstanding leadership for it in the years to come.”
The Appointment, Promotions, and Tenure (APT) Committee plays a critical role in the academic medical center by overseeing the evaluation process for faculty members' advancement within the institution. It is responsible for reviewing the qualifications, achievements, and performance of faculty candidates for appointment, promotion, and tenure. It ensures that these decisions align with the institution's standards of excellence in research, teaching, clinical practice, and service.
The APT Committee provides guidance and recommendations on faculty members' eligibility for promotion and tenure based on rigorous evaluation of their scholarly contributions, professional development, and impact in their respective fields. Additionally, the committee ensures fairness, transparency, and consistency in its decision-making processes, helping to support the academic mission and foster faculty success and growth.
Bean joined the faculty at Duke as an assistant professor in 2006. She was promoted to associate professor in 2014, and to professor in 2020. Her clinical activities encompass diagnostic breast and gynecologic surgical pathology, intraoperative consultations, and cytopathology. She has developed expertise in medical education.
Nikiforov joined Duke in January 2022 as a professor of Pathology. He has published a considerable number of high-visibility papers in the fields of melanoma and multiple myeloma, and his research focuses on identifying the metabolic vulnerabilities in these malignancies. Read more about the Nikiforov Lab’s work here.