Meet the Director of the Vera Bradley Foundation Center for Breast Cancer Research
Alastair M. Thompson, MBChB, MD, FRCSEd, FACS
The Foundation isn’t changing direction—It’s entering its next era.
When Dr. Alastair Thompson talks about breast cancer, he rarely begins with science. He begins with people.
Long before he became one of the world’s leading breast cancer surgeons and researchers, he learned a lesson that has shaped his entire career.
As a young surgical trainee in Edinburgh, Scotland, he was encouraged by pioneering breast cancer surgeon Sir Patrick Forrest to step away from the operating room and into the research laboratory.
“Go and do some research early,” Forrest advised. “It will inspire you.”
And it did.
Thompson entered breast cancer research at an extraordinary moment. Scientists were just beginning to understand the role of genes like HER2 and BRCA1, discoveries that would forever change how breast cancer is understood and treated. For a young physician-scientist, it was exhilarating — not because of the science alone, but because each breakthrough carried the promise of changing someone’s future.
More than four decades later, that sense of possibility still drives him.
Now, as the inaugural Director of the Vera Bradley Foundation Center for Breast Cancer Research at the Indiana University Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, Thompson brings something increasingly rare in modern medicine: the ability to move seamlessly between laboratory discovery and patient care.
Thompson has spent his career asking one question: How do we help today’s discoveries reach tomorrow’s patients faster — and more thoughtfully?
“It’s the individual patients who continue to motivate me. Every advance matters because every person is different.”
Why Indiana? Why Now?
After leadership roles in Scotland, at MD Anderson Cancer Center and at Baylor College of Medicine, Thompson had no shortage of opportunities.
What drew him to Indiana was something he believes is increasingly uncommon: a philanthropic partnership with the courage to invest in bold ideas over the long term.
For over thirty years, Vera Bradley Foundation supporters have fueled discoveries that extend far beyond Indiana. More than $43 million has been invested in breast cancer research, creating one of the nation’s most collaborative environments for scientists and clinicians working toward better prevention, earlier detection, more personalized treatments and, ultimately, cures.
That commitment impressed Thompson immediately.
He points to the Center’s extraordinary breast tissue biorepository, internationally respected basic science programs, and ambitious work to conquer triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) — one of the disease’s most aggressive forms — as evidence that Indiana is pursuing questions many institutions have yet to tackle.
But what excites him most isn’t any single project.
It’s the opportunity to connect them.
He often compares research leadership to tending a garden. Every promising idea deserves attention, but successful leaders also know when to redirect resources so the strongest discoveries can flourish.
His vision is one of thoughtful momentum — bringing together scientists, physicians, industry partners and philanthropists to accelerate the journey from promising discovery to meaningful improvements in patients’ lives.
Perhaps most importantly, Thompson sees Indiana as a place capable of leading globally.
He believes discoveries made here can influence breast cancer care not only across the United States, but around the world.
That vision aligns naturally with the Vera Bradley Foundation’s own mission: transforming generosity into life-changing progress.
Over 30 years ago, supporters planted the seeds.
Today, under Dr. Alastair Thompson’s leadership, the next era begins.
Those who know Dr. Thompson best are unlikely to begin with his titles. They are more likely to mention his quick wit, his British charm, and the affection with which he speaks of his family. He cheerfully admits to being “besotted” with his wife, Dr. Stacy Moulder, whose own remarkable career in oncology complements his lifelong commitment to advancing cancer care. Together, they have raised two wonderful sons, Christopher and Shephard, and remain each other’s greatest champions.