Dr. Mara Becker

Biography

Dr. Mara Becker is a Professor of Pediatrics and Vice Dean at the Duke University School of Medicine. She joined Duke in 2019 after spending 13 years at the Children’s Mercy in Kansas City. Dr. Becker has additional fellowship training in pediatric clinical pharmacology and has held significant leadership roles, including Division Director of Rheumatology and Associate Chair of the Department of Pediatrics. Her translational research focuses on identifying factors that enhance drug response and minimize toxicity in children’s treatments, particularly in relation to methotrexate's effects on the folate pathway and its efficacy in patients with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA). Her work has received funding from various prestigious institutions, including the National Institutes of Health. In her role as Vice Dean, Dr. Becker emphasizes the importance of developing leadership within the faculty and creating standardized processes to support a healthy work environment. Furthermore, she has actively contributed to national committees within her field, enhancing clinical research networks.

Research Interests

Experience