Harry P. Erba, MD, PhD

Holding considerable expertise in leukemia and new drug development, Dr. Erba has excelled as a professor of medicine, clinical investigator and director of the leukemia program at Duke University since 2018. He also serves as the medical director of the division of hematologic malignancies and cellular therapy within the university’s department of medicine. In these roles, his responsibilities include inpatient and outpatient care of patients with leukemia, myelodysplasic syndromes and myeloproliferative neoplasms; overseeing clinical trials for those diseases; and directing inpatient services. Prior to joining Duke University, he was a professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham from 2012 to 2018, an associate professor at the University of Michigan from 1996 to 2012.

A sought-after professional for lectures, among other things, Dr. Erba has a deep passion for education that he strives to share with his patients, medical trainees and colleagues. He has made a name for himself in his field for his prioritization of individual patient care and his love of science, investigation, and scientific progress. Alongside his primary responsibilities, he has volunteered his time as a national expert in leukemia with the American Society of Hematology as well as with the society’s Consult-a-Colleague service. He has served as the chair of the leukemia committee in the SWOG Cancer Research Network since 2012. He currently serves also as the co-chair of the senior scientific council of the MyeloMATCH initiative funded by the National Cancer Institute. He is a member of the leukemia steering committee of the National Cancer Institute. He is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

First cultivating an interest in molecular biology, Dr. Erba graduated from North Haven High School in 1975 before obtaining a Bachelor of Science, summa cum laude, from Yale University in 1979. During his time at Yale, he excelled under the mentorship of Dr. Joseph G. Gall, who allowed him to work in his lab and conduct molecular biology research and who Dr. Erba cites as a major reason behind his success today. Following a Fulbright fellowship in England, he realized he wanted to apply what he had learned to human conditions and went on to earn a Doctor of Medicine and a Doctor of Philosophy in biophysics from Stanford University in 1988. He then completed his residency in internal medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital from 1988 to 1990, and between 1990 and 1993 completed several clinical and research fellowships at both Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School.

For excellence in his career, Dr. Erba has been the recipient of a number of honors and accolades. Recognized early on for his achievements, he was inducted into the Scientific Honor Society Sigma Xi in 1977 and The Phi Beta Kappa Society in 1978. He was also presented with the Science and Engineering Award by Yale University in 1978 and 1979. In 1995, he received the Scholar Award from the American Society of Hematology. During his time at the University of Michigan, he was named Teacher of the Year annually from 2002 to 2005 and received the Outstanding Clinician Award in 2004. He was also inducted into the League of Clinical Excellence at the university in 2012. He was again named Teacher of Year from 2016 to 2017, this time by the University of Alabama.

Dr. Erba was born in New Haven, Connecticut, to father Harry Erba Sr. and mother Camille Erba. Happily married to his wife Amanda, they are the proud parents of six children, Erica Pedicini, Madeleine Erba, Claire Erba, Jake Erba, Abigail Dressel and the late Alexis Dressel. In his free time, Dr. Erba greatly enjoys traveling, personal exercise and spending time with his wife. Looking toward the future, he plans to still be practicing, taking care of patients and mentoring young physicians. He truly loves what he does and he hopes to leave a legacy as a dedicated clinician whose primary concern was improving the quality of life for his patients with leukemia.