The University of Arizona Comprehensive Cancer Center has appointed Dr. Rachna Shroff as the inaugural John F. and Valli S. Duval Endowed Professor for Gastrointestinal Oncology.
The position, established through a $1 million gift from John F. and Valli S. Duval, recognizes Dr. Shroff’s leadership in clinical trials and her commitment to delivering high-level science with a personalized, empathetic touch.
For Dr. Shroff, the appointment is a milestone in a journey deeply influenced by her Indian heritage. Born in the United States to parents who immigrated from India, she was raised in a household where medical service was a calling.
Her father, a cardiologist, and her mother, an anesthesiologist, provided an early blueprint for balancing technical expertise with the cultural values of compassion and community. Dr. Shroff frequently credits this upbringing for her “bedside-first” philosophy in oncology.
A Tucson native, Dr. Shroff returned to her roots in 2018 after nearly a decade at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. She earned her medical degree from Thomas Jefferson University and completed her residency at Washington University in St. Louis.
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Her education and early career were marked by a focus on the “art of medicine,” a perspective she now uses to mentor the next generation of physicians at the University of Arizona.
As the associate director of clinical investigations at the Cancer Center, Dr. Shroff has become an international leader in treating biliary tract and pancreatic cancers. These are historically difficult to treat diseases that often lack diverse therapeutic options.
By leading national clinical trials, including the landmark SWOG 1815 study, she has helped shift the standard of care toward more personalized, molecularly targeted treatments.
The Duvals, who have spent decades in academic health leadership, specifically chose to honor Dr. Shroff because of her ability to humanize the clinical experience.
John Duval, a former CEO of Virginia Commonwealth University Hospitals and a former COO of the Tucson based University Medical Center, noted that the endowment is meant to provide a permanent foundation for research that bridges the gap between the laboratory and the patient’s emotional well-being.
The endowment provides Dr. Shroff with perpetual funding to pursue innovative research and clinical trials that might not otherwise receive federal grants. This stability allows her team to focus on long term breakthroughs while ensuring that every patient receives care that honors their individual humanity.
By integrating her culturally grounded perspective with cutting-edge science, Dr. Shroff aims to expand access to life-saving trials for all Arizonans. For the Duvals, her appointment represents the perfect intersection of clinical brilliance and the empathy required to guide families through their most challenging moments.