▁and ▁D ent istry ▁of ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Mar burg ▁in ▁Mar burg , ▁Germany . ▁His ▁post do ctor al ▁fellow ships ▁were ▁at ▁the ▁National ▁Can cer ▁Institute , ▁Philipp s ▁University ▁and ▁at ▁Duke ▁University ▁Medical ▁Center . ▁ ▁He ▁held ▁positions ▁at ▁Duke ▁University ▁Hospital ▁and ▁Dur ham ▁V A ▁Medical ▁Center , ▁and ▁then ▁as ▁director ▁of ▁the ▁L ung ▁Can cer ▁Program ▁at ▁Ros well ▁Park ▁Can cer ▁Institute ▁in ▁Buff alo , ▁N . Y . ▁He ▁was ▁then ▁director ▁of ▁the ▁Com pre h ensive ▁L ung ▁Can cer ▁Research ▁Center , ▁ ▁department ▁chair ▁of ▁Thor ac ic ▁On col ogy , ▁ ▁and ▁program ▁leader ▁of ▁the ▁L ung ▁Can cer ▁Program ▁at ▁the ▁M off itt ▁Can cer ▁Center ▁in ▁T ampa , ▁Florida . ▁ ▁He ▁came ▁to ▁the ▁Kar man os ▁Can cer ▁Institute ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 0 . ▁ ▁Professional ▁work ▁As ▁a ▁thor ac ic ▁on colog ist , ▁Be pler ' s ▁research ▁focus es ▁on ▁studying ▁ris ks , ▁pro gression , ▁treat ments ▁and ▁out comes ▁related ▁to ▁lung ▁cancer , ▁with ▁an ▁emphas is ▁on ▁non - small ▁cell ▁lung ▁cancer . ▁He ▁has ▁secured ▁more ▁than ▁$ 6 5 ▁million ▁in ▁cancer - related ▁research ▁fund ing ▁since ▁the ▁mid - 1 9 8 0 s . ▁He ▁has ▁had ▁articles ▁published ▁in ▁the ▁New ▁England ▁Journal ▁of ▁Medicine , ▁the ▁Journal ▁of ▁C lin ical ▁On col ogy ▁and ▁Can