Dr. Tracy Crane Named Brigitte Burke Endowed Chair for Women’s Cancer Research
The prestigious honor recognizes Dr. Crane’s pioneering contributions to lifestyle medicine as a critical component of cancer care and prevention.
Tracy Crane, Ph.D., RDN, co-leader of the Cancer Control Program and director of lifestyle medicine, prevention and digital health at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, has been awarded the Brigitte Burke Endowed Chair for Women’s Cancer Research.
“Endowed chairs are at the core of what allows us to both recruit and retain the very, very best stars,” said Joel H. Samuels, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs at the University of Miami. “We celebrate the gifts of endowment that we receive for chairs because they recognize our aspiration as a university to pursue another level of excellence for our future.”
The chair ceremony presentation, the first to take place in Sylvester’s new Kenneth C. Griffin Cancer Research Building, celebrated Dr. Crane’s groundbreaking work to integrate personalized lifestyle medicine with computational science and digital health. By blending technology and human connections, she is creating transformative outcomes for cancer patients and survivors while positioning Sylvester as a leader in this rapidly evolving field.
“We are now testing more lifestyle behaviors as a complement to traditional treatment than virtually any other cancer center,” said Dr. Crane, an associate professor of medicine and public health at the Miller School who holds an appointment in kinesiology and sports sciences in the University of Miami School of Education and Human Development. “This endowed chair honors all our past work and success. But more importantly, it provides fuel for the future. It empowers us to build a future where a cancer diagnosis is met with a world-class medical plan and personalized lifestyle prescriptions.”
Leader in Cancer Control
front row: Dr. Tracy E. Crane
In accepting the Brigitte Burke Endowed Chair for Women’s Cancer Research, Dr. Crane spoke of the honor and privilege this award presents and shared how this field helped launch her career.
One of Dr. Crane’s first undertakings was the Lifestyle Intervention for Ovarian Cancer Enhanced Survival (LIVES) study, the largest non-pharmacologic trial for women treated with ovarian cancer. LIVES was among the first studies to examine how modifiable lifestyle behaviors, such as diet and exercise, can prevent cancer recurrence. The overwhelming response and interest in this study led Dr. Crane to the field of computational sciences and digital health, two areas that are critical components of her current research.
Dr. Crane is also one of the lead investigators in the Trial of Exercise and Lifestyle in Women with Ovarian Cancer (TEAL), a groundbreaking study of ovarian cancer treatment. She is defining whether a rigorous, prescribed diet and exercise intervention improves treatment outcomes for women initiating chemotherapy by allowing patients to complete their full chemotherapy regimen.
The impact of Dr. Crane’s work is evident through the success of the Believe in You program, a 20-week personalized training and wellness program that she developed to prepare cancer survivors to participate in the Dolphins Cancer Challenge (DCC). The DCC is the NFL’s largest fundraising initiative that raises funds to support innovative cancer research at Sylvester. In its first year, Believe in You had 10 participants. Today, more than 200 cancer survivors are training to take part in DCC XVI in February 2026.
Widely recognized as an international thought leader in cancer prevention and control, Dr. Crane has authored more than 115 peer-reviewed publications, including the latest American Cancer Society guidelines on nutrition and physical activity for cancer survivors. She is the appointed chair for the NRG Oncology National Cancer Institute Community Oncology Research Program, where she helps shape research priorities for more than 1,300 research sites worldwide.
Expression of Gratitude
Sylvester Director Stephen D. Nimer, M.D., touted many of these accolades and accomplishments while introducing Dr. Crane as the inaugural recipient of the Brigitte Burke Endowed Chair for Women’s Cancer Research.
“The generosity represented by this chair is not only going to have an impact on Dr. Crane’s career and what she’s able to do, but the future of cancer treatments here at Sylvester, around the country and throughout the world,” said Dr. Nimer, professor of medicine, biochemistry and molecular biology, the Oscar de la Renta Endowed Chair in Cancer Research and executive dean for research at the Miller School. “It will improve the lives of countless numbers of patients and their families.”
Additionally, the Brigitte Burke Family Infusion Waiting Area, located on the third floor of the Griffin Cancer Research Building, was named in her honor.
Dr. Nimer called it a powerful tribute to a remarkable woman and her incredible family. Brigitte met her husband, Michael Burke, in the 1970s when they were teenagers. They attended university together in Lille, France, and later married. The couple spent many years in the United States, where Michael directed the North American divisions of Dior and then Louis Vuitton. After LVMH acquired Fendi in 2013 and Michael was appointed president, the family moved to Rome. Brigitte passed away in 2023 from complications due to cancer. Matthew Burke, one of Brigitte’s five sons, attended the chair ceremony.
“Brigitte believed so deeply in her family and in supporting others,” stated Dr. Nimer. “She rarely talked about her own journey and was mostly interested in how everyone else was doing, and in advancing research and making a difference that can change people’s lives. And so, her legacy continues through the family’s generosity and through the work of outstanding scientists and physicians like Tracy Crane.”
Importance of Endowed Chairs
Before joining Dr. Nimer in presenting the chair to Dr. Crane, Henri R. Ford, M.D., M.H.A., dean and chief academic officer of the Miller School, emphasized the significance of chair recognition.
“An endowed chair is one of the highest academic honors that the university can bestow on a faculty member,” said Dean Ford. “It is a testament to their dedication and commitment to the relentless pursuit of excellence. Our chairs allow scholars like Dr. Crane to continue groundbreaking research in perpetuity, giving them the time, resources and focus to discover new treatments for our patients.”
Tags: cancer research, clinical trials, Dr. Tracy Crane, GCRB, lifestyle medicine, nutrition, ovarian cancer, Sylverster Comprehensive Cancer Center