Powell was born and grew up on a small farm near Wake Forest, N.C. He received his bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering from Duke University and his medical degree from the University of North Carolina. He completed residency training in internal medicine and a fellowship in hematology and medical oncology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. He then joined the School of Medicine faculty as assistant professor in the Department of Internal Medicine, Section on Hematology and Oncology, in 1986. He was promoted to associate professor in 1992 and to professor in 1999.
He served as acting chief of Hematology and Oncology beginning in 1998 and was appointed section chief in 1999. During his career, Powell has trained over 130 fellows in hematology and oncology and has worked with numerous residents in internal medicine as well as medical students, physician assistant students and other trainees. During his tenure as chief, the section grew from 20 to 48 faculty, nine to 15 fellows in training, eight to 47 APPs and about 130 to 250 employees. Research funding for hematology and oncology is currently over $17 million.
Powell’s personal research focuses on developing innovative treatments for patients with leukemias and myelodysplastic syndromes. He has participated in multiple pivotal trials leading to new drug approvals. Early in his career, he participated in clinical trials that established the role of high-dose cytarabine in treatments for patients with acute myeloid leukemia. He led an international trial that established arsenic trioxide as a critical component of frontline treatment with acute promyelocytic leukemia, which now has a cure rate of over 95%. Powell has published 13 book chapters and has 220 peer-reviewed publications. He has served on the Leukemia Core Committee of the Alliance of Clinical Trials, a national clinical trials cooperative group, since 1993.
In addition to over 25 years as chief of Hematology and Oncology, he has held multiple other leadership roles within the institution. Within the Comprehensive Cancer Center, he has served as leader of the clinical trials program, chair of the protocol review committee, director of the leukemia service, director of apheresis and his current role as associate director for clinical research. In 1996, he became chair of the Piedmont Oncology Association, which has evolved into the Charles L. Spurr Piedmont Oncology Symposium, a twice-yearly regional educational symposium.
Powell’s teaching abilities and enthusiastic engagement with learners is frequently highlighted by students, residents and fellows. He received the Tinsley R. Harrison Faculty Teaching Award in the Department of Internal Medicine in 1989 and has been recognized with a Master Teacher Award in the Department of Internal Medicine seven times.
Powell has also been heavily engaged in the community including the community advisory boards of the Comprehensive Cancer Center and has been honored by patients and families who have developed foundations or other events to support cancer research.
He and his wife, Mary Caponera, a retired physician assistant, have one child, who is a cardiothoracic anesthesiologist in New York, N.Y., and daughter-in-law who is an engineer with the Rocky Mountain Institute.