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Ernest Hawk, MD, MPH

Present Title & Affiliation

Primary Appointment

Vice President, Division of OVP, Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Division Head, Division of OVP, Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Executive Director, Duncan Family Institute for Cancer Prevention and Risk Assessment, Division of OVP, Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Boone Pickens Distinguished Chair for Early Prevention of Cancer, Department of Cancer Prevention, Division of OVP, Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment

Professor, Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, Division of OVP, Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

Bio Statement

Ernest T. Hawk, MD, MPH, is vice president and division head for Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. 

Prior to his appointment at MD Anderson in December 2007, Hawk held several positions at the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, MD. He most recently served as director of the Office of Centers, Training and Resources. His other NCI posts included chief and medical officer in the Gastrointestinal and Other Cancers Research Group, medical officer in the Chemoprevention Branch and chair of the Translational Research Working Group. 

He has been involved in a wide range of preclinical and clinical chemoprevention research, including studies of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, COX-2 inhibitors, and agent combinations in high-risk cohorts. In addition, he is interested in improving the participation of minority and underserved populations in clinical research, and in the integration of risk assessment, behavioral science, and preventive strategies in clinical trials. He has earned numerous awards for his work, including the NCI Research Award for Distinguished Achievement in Cancer Prevention.

A native of Detroit, MI, Hawk earned his bachelor’s and medical degrees at Wayne State University and his master of public health degree at Johns Hopkins University. He completed an internal medicine internship and residency at Emory University, a medical oncology clinical fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco and a cancer prevention fellowship at NCI. 

Dr. Hawk has published more than 140 articles, abstracts and book chapters, is the senior deputy editor for Cancer Prevention Research, serves on the editorial board of Cancer Medicine, and an ad hoc reviewer for numerous peer-reviewed journals, including JNCI, NEJM, Lancet and Lancet Oncology.

For more information or to discuss issues related to any of Hawk’s areas of responsibility, you may contact him by calling 713-792-3900. You may also arrange a meeting through his executive assistant Cheri McClellan, by calling 713-745-0176 or via e-mail to cjmcclel@mdanderson.org

Research Interests

Cancer Prevention and Control

Translational Research

Molecular Intersections between Cancer and Other Diseases

Education & Training

Degree-Granting Education

1994 Johns Hopkins University School Of Hygiene & Pub Health, Baltimore, MD, MPH, Epidemiology/Biostatistics
1985 Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, MD, Medicine
1981 Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, BS, Biological Sciences

Postgraduate Training

1993-1996 Research Fellowship, Cancer Prevention Fellowship, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, Douglas Weed, MD, MPH, PhD
1991-1993 Clinical Fellowship, Medical Oncology Clinical Fellowship, University Of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, Marc Shuman, MD & I. Craig Henderson, MD
1985-1988 Clinical Internship, Internal Medicine Internship/Residency, Emory University Affiliated Hospitals, Atlanta, GA, J. Willis Hurst, MD & Juha P. Kokko, MD, PhD

Board Certifications

2003 American Board of Internal Medicine - Recertification in Medical Oncology
1993 American Board of Internal Medicine - Diplomate in Medical Oncology
1988 American Board of Internal Medicine - Diplomate in Internal Medicine
1986 National Board of Medical Examiners - Diplomate

Experience/Service

Other Appointments/Responsibilities

Member / External Scientific Advisory Board, Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center - James Cancer Hospital, Columbus, OH, 9/2008-present
Member / External Advisory Board, Kansas University Cancer Center, Kansas City, KS, 9/2008-present
Member / External Advisory Board, University of Utah - Huntsman Cancer Center, Salt Lake City, UT, 6/2008-present
Member / External Advisory Board, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY, 5/2008-present
Member / Scientific Advisory Committee, Harris County-Hospital and University National Children's Study, Houston, TX, 4/2008-present
Member / External Advisory Board, Mayo Clinic Cancer Center, Rochester, MN, 1/2008-present

Professional Memberships

American Association for Cancer Research
Member, Science Education Committee, 10/2012-4/2015
Member, Science Policy and Government Affairs Committee (SPGA), 9/2012-4/2015
Steering Committee Member, Cancer Progress Report 2012, 2/2012-12/2012
Co-Chairperson, 2011 AACR Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Scientific Program Committee, 1/2011-12/2011
Member, Scientific Review Committee for the Stand Up to Cancer Innovative Research Grants, 3/2009-present
Member, 1993-present
American College of Physicians
Member, 1986-present
American Public Health Association
Member, 2/2013-present
American Society of Clinical Oncology
Member, Cancer Prevention Committee, 7/2009-present
Member, 1996-present
American Society of Preventive Oncology
Advisor, Executive Committee, 2009-present
Member, 2008-present
Member, 1996-2000
Cancer Prevention Research Institute of Texas, Austin, TX
Member, 2011 CPRIT Conference Planning Committee, 2/2011-12/2011

Selected Publications

Peer-Reviewed Original Research Articles
1. Wu X, Ajani JA, Gu J, Chang DW, Tan W, Hildebrandt MA, Huang M, Wang KK, Hawk E. MicroRNA Expression Signatures during Malignant Progression from Barrett's Esophagus to Esophageal Adenocarcinoma. Cancer Prev Res (Phila) 6(3):196-205, 3/2013. PMID: 23466817.
2. Wen CP, Lin J, Yang YC, Tsai MK, Tsao CK, Etzel C, Huang M, Hsu CY, Ye Y, Mishra L, Hawk E, Wu X. Hepatocellular carcinoma risk prediction model for the general population: the predictive power of transaminases. J Natl Cancer Inst 104(20):1599-611, 10/2012. PMID: 23073549.
3. Dai J, Gu J, Huang M, Eng C, Kopetz ES, Ellis LM, Hawk E, Wu X. GWAS-identified colorectal cancer susceptibility loci associated with clinical outcomes. Carcinogenesis 33(7):1327-31, 7/2012. e-Pub 4/2012. PMID: 22505654.
4. Lin M, Eng C, Hawk ET, Huang M, Lin J, Gu J, Ellis LM, Wu X. Identification of polymorphisms in ultraconserved elements associated with clinical outcomes in locally advanced colorectal adenocarcinoma. Cancer. e-Pub 6/2012. PMID: 22673945.
5. Cialdella-Kam L, Sabado P, Bispeck MK, Silverman S, Bernstein L, Krawiec V, Hawk E, O'Donnell JF. Implementing Cancer Prevention into Clinical Practice. J Cancer Educ 27(Suppl 2):S136-43, 5/2012. e-Pub 2/2012. PMID: 22367592.
6. Ross W, Lynch P, Raju G, Rodriguez A, Burke T, Hafemeister L, Hawk E, Wu X, Dubois RN, Mishra L. Biomarkers, bundled payments, and colorectal cancer care. Genes Cancer 3(1):16-22, 1/2012. PMCID: PMC3415669.
7. Andriole GL, Crawford ED, Grubb RL, Buys SS, Chia D, Church TR, Fouad MN, Isaacs C, Kvale PA, Reding DJ, Weissfeld JL, Yokochi LA, O'Brien B, Ragard LR, Clapp JD, Rathmell JM, Riley TL, Hsing AW, Izmirlian G, Pinsky PF, Kramer BS, Miller AB, Gohagan JK, Prorok PC, PLCO Project Team. Prostate cancer screening in the randomized Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial: mortality results after 13 years of follow-up. J Natl Cancer Inst 104(2):125-32, 1/2012. e-Pub 1/2012. PMCID: PMC3260132.
8. Chan AT, Hsu M, Zauber AG, Hawk ET, Bertagnolli MM. The Influence of UGT1A6 Variants and Aspirin Use in a Randomized Trial of Celecoxib for Prevention of Colorectal Adenoma. Cancer Prev Res (Phila) 5(1):61-72, 1/2012. e-Pub 11/2011. PMID: 22030088.
9. Chan AT, Sima CS, Zauber AG, Ridker PM, Hawk ET, Bertagnolli MM. C-reactive Protein and Risk of Colorectal Adenoma According to Celecoxib Treatment. Cancer Prev Res (Phila) 4(8):1172-80, 8/2011. PMCID: PMC3151679.
10. Buys SS, Partridge E, Black A, Johnson CC, Lamerato L, Isaacs C, Reding DJ, Greenlee RT, Yokochi LA, Kessel B, Crawford ED, Church TR, Andriole GL, Weissfeld JL, Fouad MN, Chia D, O'Brien B, Ragard LR, Clapp JD, Rathmell JM, Riley TL, Hartge P, Pinsky PF, Zhu CS, Izmirlian G, Kramer BS, Miller AB, Xu JL, Prorok PC, Gohagan JK, Berg CD, PLCO Project Team. Effect of screening on ovarian cancer mortality: the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Randomized Controlled Trial. JAMA 305(22):2295-303, 6/2011. PMID: 21642681.
11. Gu J, Ajani JA, Hawk ET, Ye Y, Lee JH, Bhutani MS, Hofstetter WL, Swisher SG, Wang KK, Wu X. Chromosomal Aberrations Predict Malignant Progression of Esophageal Adenocarcinoma: a Genome-wide High-Density SNP Array Analysis. Cancer Prev Res (Phila Pa) 3(9):1176-86, 9/2010. e-Pub 7/2010. PMID: 20651033.
12. Lynch PM, Ayers GD, Hawk E, Richmond E, Eagle C, Woloj M, Church J, Hasson H, Patterson S, Half E, Burke CA. The safety and efficacy of celecoxib in children with familial adenomatous polyposis. Am J Gastroenterol 105(6):1437-43, 6/2010. e-Pub 3/2010. PMID: 20234350.
13. Bertagnolli MM, Hsu M, Hawk ET, Eagle CJ, Zauber AG. Statin Use and Colorectal Adenoma Risk: Results from the Adenoma Prevention with Celecoxib Trial. Cancer Prev Res (Phila Pa) 3(5):588-96, 5/2010. e-Pub 4/2010. PMID: 20403998.
14. Lippman SM, Hawk ET. Cancer prevention: from 1727 to milestones of the past 100 years. Cancer Res 69(13):5269-84, 7/2009. e-Pub 6/2009. PMID: 19491253.
15. Bertagnolli MM, Eagle CJ, Zauber AG, Redston M, Breazna A, Kim K, Tang J, Rosenstein RB, Umar A, Bagheri D, Collins NT, Burn J, Chung DC, Dewar T, Foley TR, Hoffman N, Macrae F, Pruitt RE, Saltzman JR, Salzberg B, Sylwestrowicz T, Hawk ET. Five-year efficacy and safety analysis of the Adenoma Prevention with Celecoxib Trial. Cancer Prev Res (Phila Pa) 2(4):310-21, 4/2009. e-Pub 3/2009. PMID: 19336730.
16. Hawk ET, Matrisian LM, Nelson WG, Dorfman GS, Stevens L, Kwok J, Viner J, Hautala J, Grad O, Translational Research Working Group. The Translational Research Working Group developmental pathways: introduction and overview. Clin Cancer Res 14(18):5664-71, 9/2008. e-Pub 7/2008. PMID: 18612047.
17. Meyskens FL, McLaren CE, Pelot D, Fujikawa-Brooks S, Carpenter PM, Hawk E, Kelloff G, Lawson MJ, Kidao J, McCracken J, Albers CG, Ahnen DJ, Turgeon DK, Goldschmid S, Lance P, Hagedorn CH, Gillen DL, Gerner EW. Difluoromethylornithine Plus Sulindac for the Prevention of Sporadic Colorectal Adenomas: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind Trial. Cancer Prev Res (Phila Pa) 1(1):32-38, 6/2008. PMCID: PMC2562024.
18. Solomon SD, Wittes J, Finn PV, Fowler R, Viner J, Bertagnolli MM, Arber N, Levin B, Meinert CL, Martin B, Pater JL, Goss PE, Lance P, Obara S, Chew EY, Kim J, Arndt G, Hawk E, Cross Trial Safety Assessment Group. Cardiovascular Risk of Celecoxib in 6 Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trials The Cross Trial Safety Analysis. Circulation 117(16):2104-13, 4/2008. e-Pub 3/2008. PMID: 18378608.
19. Solomon SD, Pfeffer MA, McMurray JJ, Fowler R, Finn P, Levin B, Eagle C, Hawk E, Lechuga M, Zauber AG, Bertagnolli MM, Arber N, Wittes J, APC and PreSAP Trial Investigators. Effect of celecoxib on cardiovascular events and blood pressure in two trials for the prevention of colorectal adenomas. Circulation 114(10):1028-1035, 9/2006. PMID: 16943394.
20. Bertagnolli MM, Eagle CJ, Zauber AG, Redston M, Solomon SD, Kim K, Tang J, Rosenstein RB, Wittes J, Corle D, Hess TM, Woloj GM, Boisserie F, Anderson WF, Viner JL, Bagheri D, Burn J, Chung DC, Dewar T, Foley TR, Hoffman N, Macrae F, Pruitt RE, Saltzman JR, Salzberg B, Sylwestrowicz T, Gordon GB, Hawk ET, APC Study Investigators. Celecoxib for the prevention of sporadic colorectal adenomas. N Engl J Med 355(9):873-84, 8/2006. PMID: 16943400.
21. Solomon SD, McMurray JJ, Pfeffer MA, Wittes J, Fowler R, Finn P, Anderson WF, Zauber A, Hawk E, Bertagnolli M, Adenoma Prevention with Celecoxib (APC) Study Investigators. Cardiovascular risk associated with celecoxib in a clinical trial for colorectal adenoma prevention. N Engl J Med 352(11):1071-1080, 3/2005. e-Pub 2/2005. PMID: 15713944.
22. Hawk ET, Levin B. Colorectal cancer prevention. J Clin Oncol 23(2):378-91, 1/2005. PMID: 15637400.
23. Hawk ET, Umar A, Viner JL. Colorectal cancer chemoprevention--an overview of the science. Gastroenterology 126(5):1423-47, 5/2004. PMID: 15131803.
24. Lam S, MacAulay C, Le Riche JC, Dyachkova Y, Coldman A, Guillaud M, Hawk E, Christen MO, Gazdar AF. A randomized phase IIb trial of anethole dithiolethione in smokers with bronchial dysplasia. J Natl Cancer Inst 94(13):1001-9, 7/2002. PMID: 12096085.
25. Steinbach G, Lynch PM, Phillips RK, Wallace MH, Hawk E, Gordon GB, Wakabayashi N, Saunders B, Shen Y, Fujimura T, Su LK, Levin B. The effect of celecoxib, a cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor, in familial adenomatous polyposis. N Engl J Med 342(26):1946-52, 6/2000. PMID: 10874062.
26. Hawk E, Lubet R, Limburg P. Chemoprevention in hereditary colorectal cancer syndromes. Cancer 86(11 Suppl):2551-63, 12/1999. PMID: 10630181.
27. Lam S, leRiche JC, Zheng Y, Coldman A, MacAulay C, Hawk E, Kelloff G, Gazdar AF. Sex-related differences in bronchial epithelial changes associated with tobacco smoking. J Natl Cancer Inst 91(8):691-6, 4/1999. PMID: 10218506.

Last updated: 3/8/2013