Goals for the AACR
Significant advances in cancer biology have driven progress in targeted therapies and precision oncology. This fundamental knowledge can now be leveraged to fuel innovation in cancer prevention and early detection. Advances in risk assessment, imaging, biomarker-driven liquid biopsy tools, and reverse translation of cancer therapies for cancer interception are poised to transform cancer prevention and early detection. The AACR is uniquely positioned to lead this effort, ensuring these advances address biological and human diversity, social determinants of health, and care access to achieve equity in cancer outcomes for all.
Research Interests
Molecular epidemiology of cancer etiology, outcomes, health disparities, and global health; genetic and environmental causes of breast, prostate, skin, endometrial, and ovarian cancers; risk and outcomes of cancer in BRCA1/BRCA2 mutation carriers and prostate cancer in men of African descent in North America, the Caribbean, and Africa.
Current Affiliations
Professor, Division of Population Sciences; and director, Center for Global Health Equity, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts; director, Zhu Family Center for Global Cancer Prevention; and Vincent L. Gregory, Jr. professor of cancer prevention, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts; associate member, Broad Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Previous Positions
Director (2018-2023) and associate director (2017-2023), Cancer Equity and Engagement; and deputy associate director, population science (2015-2017), Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center, Boston, Massachusetts; codirector, Collective Impact Program, Harvard Catalyst, Brigham and Women’s Hospital (2016-2018), Boston, Massachusetts; professor, cancer epidemiology, Department of Epidemiology, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health (2015-2017), Boston, Massachusetts; adjunct professor, Epidemiology (2015-2017) and professor, epidemiology (2004-2015), Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology; director, Center for Genetics and Complex Traits (2006-2015); associate professor (1999-2004) and assistant professor, epidemiology (1995-1999); and assistant research professor, epidemiology in medicine (1994-1995), University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; director, recruitment, outcomes, and assessment resource (2009-2013); associate director, population science (2006-2014); program leader, Cancer Prevention Program (2006-2008) and program leader, Cancer Epidemiology and Risk Reduction Program (1999-2006), University of Pennsylvania Abramson Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Education
BA, biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois (1984); ScM, epidemiology, the Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland (1986); PhD, human genetics (1991) and AM, statistics (1991), the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Postdoctoral Training
Postdoctoral associate, Institute for Cancer Research, Fox Chase Cancer Center (1991-1993), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Selected AACR Service, Honors, and Awards
Conference cochair, AACR Special Conference: The Rise in Early Onset Cancers—Knowledge Gaps and Research Opportunities (2025); recipient, AACR-American Cancer Society Award for Research Excellence in Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention (2024); elected Fellow, Fellows of the AACR Academy (2024); scientific editor, AACR Journal, Cancer Discovery (2023-2026); conference cochair, AACR Special Conference: Precision Prevention, Early Detection, and Interception of Cancer (2022); member, AACR Cancer Prevention Working Group (CPWG) Steering Committee (2021-2024); conference cochair, AACR Special Conference: Environmental Carcinogenesis—Potential Pathway to Cancer Prevention (2019); member, AACR Scientific Achievement Awards Ad Hoc Nominating Committee (2019-2020); member, AACR Publications Committee (2020-2023); member, Tobacco Products and Cancer Subcommittee (2019-2022); member, AACR Distinguished Lectureship in Breast Cancer Research Committee (2018-2021); vice chair, Annual Meeting Education Committee (2019-2020); vice chair, Annual Meeting Program Committee (2019-2020, 2017-2018); member, Science Education and Career Advancement Committee (2018-2021); member, Special Conferences Committee (2002-2005, 2017-2020); member, AACR Women in Cancer Research Charlotte Friend Memorial Lectureship (2016-2018); chair, AACR-Minorities in Cancer Research Jane Cooke Wright Memorial Lectureship Award Committee (2015-2016, 2014-2015); member, Tellers Committee (2015-2016, 2000-2001); AACR Cancer Prevention Committee (2014-2017); program committee member, Seventh AACR Conference on The Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved (2014); editor-in-chief (2008-2018) and senior editor (2004-2010), AACR Journal, Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention (2004-2010); conference cochair, Inaugural AACR Conference on The Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved (2007); cochair, AACR Special Conference: New Developments in the Epidemiology of Cancer Prognosis: Traditional and Molecular Predictors of Treatment Response and Survival (2006); cochair, AACR Special Conference: SNPs, Haplotypes, and Cancer: Applications in Molecular Epidemiology (2003).
Selected Non-AACR Service, Honors, and Awards
Member, Cancer Awareness Trust (North America) Board (2024-present); member, Executive Committee, PROFOUND-VET (2023-present); member, Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity Executive Council, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (2021-present); recipient, ASCO-American Cancer Society Award and Lecture (2020); member, Boston Public Health Commission Cancer Advisory Group (2018-present); member, Scientific Advisory Board, Center for Proteomics and Genomics Research (2018-present); recipient, Joseph F. Fraumeni, Jr. Distinguished Achievement Award, American Society for Preventive Oncology (2017); member, External Advisory Board, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center (2014-present); member, External Advisory Board, Cancer Prevention and Control Program at The Cancer Institute of New Jersey (2012-2015); member, External Scientific Advisory Board, Kimmel Cancer Center of Thomas Jefferson University (2012-2024); recipient, Landon Foundation-AACR Innovator Award for International Collaboration in Cancer Research (2011); recipient, Spirit of Empowerment Award, Facing our Risk of Cancer Empowered (2010); recipient, Director’s Service Award, National Cancer Institute (2009); recipient, AACR-Prostate Net “In the Known Award” for Epidemiological Research Excellence (2009); recipient, BJS Lectureship, Royal College of Surgeons, London (2009); recipient, Vivian and Meyer P. Potamkin Foundation Award for Breast Cancer Research (2008); member, Scientific Advisory Board, Avon Foundation (2008-2018); elected member, American Epidemiological Society (2007); member, Advisory Board, African Caribbean Cancer Consortium (2006-2016); member, Board of Scientific Counselors, National Cancer Institute (2004-2009).