Program Co-Leaders
Crane, Tracy, Ph.D.
Sanoj Punnen, M.D.
Overview
The Cancer Control (CC) Program drives discovery and translation to reduce the incidence, progression, and mortality of cancer while optimizing quality of life across the cancer continuum—from prevention through survivorship. Our mission is to advance high-impact, mechanistic, and translational research that defines cancer risk and outcomes, informs precision prevention strategies, and accelerates the implementation of evidence-based interventions in diverse populations.
Under the leadership of Drs. Tracy Crane and Sanoj Punnen, the program unites a multidisciplinary team spanning epidemiology, behavioral and social sciences, biostatistics, communications, health services research, oncology, pediatrics, psychology, psychiatry, and molecular science. This transdisciplinary network bridges basic, population, and clinical research to ensure that fundamental discoveries translate into actionable clinical and public health advances. The program maintains strong collaborations across the Miller School of Medicine, the University of Miami, and national consortia to amplify its scientific reach and societal impact.
Program Goals
The Cancer Control Program is dedicated to advancing the science of cancer prevention and control, with a strategic focus on the diverse and rapidly evolving populations of South Florida. Our overarching goal is to reduce the regional and global burden of cancer by addressing biological, behavioral, and structural determinants of cancer risk and outcomes. This interdisciplinary endeavor is strategically aligned with the program’s two specific aims:
- Identify and characterize multilevel determinants of cancer etiology, risk, and outcomes from prevention to survivorship.
- Design and test innovative interventions to reduce the cancer burden and improve outcomes along the cancer control continuum.
What Makes Our Program Unique
- Deep Catchment Integration: Our research is tightly aligned with South Florida’s unique demographic, environmental, and cultural landscape, ensuring that science is responsive to the needs of our communities.
- Community-Engaged Discovery: We leverage participatory action research and theory-driven community engagement to co-develop interventions that are equitable, scalable, and sustainable.
- Methodological and Technological Innovation: Our investigators employ advanced analytic methods and leverage cutting-edge digital health and eHealth platforms to accelerate precision prevention and survivorship science.
- Translational Impact: We are committed to transforming discoveries into practice—developing data-driven, evidence-based strategies that shape national cancer control policy and improve lives locally and globally.
Program Members
- Antoni, Michael, Ph.D.
- Asfar, Taghrid, M.D.
- Brown, Scott Charles, Ph.D.
- Caban-Martinez, Alberto J., Ph.D., D.O., M.P.H
- Carcioppolo, Nicholas, Ph.D.
- Carrasquillo, Olveen, M.D., M.P.H
- Casanova, Felicia, Ph.D.
- Chen, Xi, Ph.D.
- Coto, Jennifer, Ph.D.
- Crane, Tracy, Ph.D.
- Feaster, Daniel, Ph.D.
- Margaret Fischl, M.D., FACP
- Franzmann, Elizabeth J., M.D., FACS
- Gaston, Sandra, Ph.D.
- George, Sophia, Ph.D.
- Goldberg, David, M.D.
- Hu, Jennifer J., Ph.D.
- Ishwaran, Hemant, Ph.D.
- Jaimes, Natalia, M.D
- Jones, Patricia D., M.D.
- Kesmodel, Susan B., M.D.
- Kim, Youngmee, Ph.D.
- Kirsner, Robert, M.D., Ph.D.
- Kobetz, Erin N., Ph.D., M.P.H
- Kumar, Shria, M.D., MSCE
- Lee, David J., Ph.D.
- Lesiuk, Teresa L., Ph.D.
- Lichtenthal, Wendy G., Ph.D.
- Mahal, Brandon A., M.D.
- Moreno, Patricia I, Ph.D., M.A.
- Olazagasti, Coral, M.D.
- Penedo, Frank J., Ph.D.
- Pinheiro, Paulo, Ph.D.
- Prado, Guillermo, Ph.D.
- Punnen, Sanoj, M.D.
- Reis, Isildinha, Ph.D.
- Rojas, Kristin E., M.D., FACS, FACOG
- Roper, Stephen D., Ph.D.
- Rosa-Cunha, Isabella, M.D.
- Safren, Steven A., Ph.D.
- Schaefer Solle, Natasha, Ph.D.
- Schlumbrecht, Matthew P., M.D.
- Sengul, Tulay, Ph.D.
- St. George, Sara M., Ph.D.
- Thomas, Emmanuel, M.D., Ph.D.
- Tookes III, Hansel E., M.D., M.P.H.
- Traeger, Lara, Ph.D.
- Vidot, Denise, Ph.D.
- Wikramanayake, Tongyu Cao, Ph.D.