Primary Appointment

I am the Director of the MD Anderson Cancer Prevention Research Training Program (CPRTP) and a full Professor in the Department of Epidemiology, but with regard to this subaward to the primary R25T application in pediatric epidemiology from Baylor College of Medicine (PI: MR Spitz), I have particular expertise to serve as a Principal Investigator.  I have considerable experience administering training programs, have trained many junior scientists in cancer research, and have doctoral-level training in cancer epidemiology, with an adjunct appointment at the University of Texas School of Public Health (UT SPH) and Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS).  I currently serve on Advisory Committees for another NCI-funded R25T award, as well as an NCI T32 in gynecologic oncology, which has recently received funding for years 6 to 10 in part for me key role helping guide the trainees and prepare the successful competitive renewal of the award.  I also served for four years as the Associate Director for the Cancer Prevention Fellowship Program, a four-year postdoctoral training program in cancer prevention research at the National Cancer Institute.  I currently teach every year for the AAMC's Women in Medicine Program, an intensive career development workshop for early career women faculty of medical schools in the US and Canada.  For the CPRTP, a multi-disciplinary program that resides within the Division of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences (comprised of four departments:  Behavioral Science, Clinical Cancer Prevention, Epidemiology, and Health Disparities), I coordinate three graduate level courses in cancer prevention through the UT GSBS, and cross listed at the UT SPH. The CPRTP has been continuously funded by the NCI for 19 years through two R25 awards and supports between 35 and 40 trainees at any one time.  I am PI of a recently awarded R25 training award from National Institute of Drug Abuse to prepare statistical geneticists in addiction. I have published as senior author, articles in pediatric epidemiology looking at athletic identity, physical activity, BMI, gender, race, and ethnicity. I am the PI for an educational NIGMS R01 award that focuses on evaluating the role of mentoring in developing scientific communication skills of scientists, as well as PI for a subaward to an NIH R01 award that seeks to identify factors that promote women into leadership in academic medicine.  In sum, I have experience and expertise that will lend strength to this NCI R25T training application in pediatric epidemiology.

I

• obesity and cancer risk
• health scientist training and education
• cancer prevention and education
• career development and scientific writing

Military or Other Governmental Service

Institutional Committee Activities

Last updated: 1/9/2013