Dr. Wayne Lawrence is a social epidemiologist whose research focuses on understanding how the social environment contributes to disparities in cancer risk and morality with an emphasis on structurally marginalized populations. His research seeks to understand the relationship between the neighborhood environment and health. More specifically, how do the residential area circumstances in which individuals are born, grow, live, work, and age affect their health and quality of life. Currently, he is investigating the contributions of racial residential segregation, psychosocial stressors, and barriers to quality medical care to exacerbating cancer disparities and premature mortality. His research also examines national trends in cancer death by race and ethnicity, and socioeconomic status.
Dr. Lawrence completed a Bachelor of Science in Health Science at the University of Hartford, Master of Public Health in Epidemiology at Georgia Southern University, Doctor of Public Health in Epidemiology at the State University of New York at Albany, and postdoctoral training in the cancer prevention fellowship program at the National Cancer Institute.