Investigators

Summary

My training is in molecular cancer and environmental epidemiology. Through my doctoral and postdoctoral research, I developed skills in advanced statistical analysis and programming, genetics, epigenomics, and cancer registry analysis. Given my data science skills and ability to translate data results to practice (e.g. grants, research directions, clinic), I was hired to serve as collaborator and resource for HCC investigators and as bridge between the epidemiology and biostatistics groups at HCC. My research interests focus on 1) utilizing cancer registry data to explore socio-economic, racial, and environmental disparities in cancer incidence and mortality and 2) exploring the interplay among toxicants, aging, and dynamic genomic features (e.g., telomeres, DNA methylation and somatic mutations) and the effect of this interplay on cancer development and prognosis. My current research profile at HCC includes characterizing cancer incidence, mortality, and survival disparities and trends in western PA, examining radon and fracking exposures on cancer risk in PA, and evaluating genetic predictors associated with head and neck cancer survival. I plan to become more involved in projects related to environmental somatic mutational signatures in cancer, DNA methylation biomarkers in cancer detection, risk, and prognosis, and other epigenomic and genomic studies of cancer risk and survival.