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I am an Associate Professor physician-scientist on tenure track at the NCI-designated Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center (Sylvester) at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, where I serve as Assistant Director of Community Outreach and Engagement (COE) and Vice Chair of Research of the Department of Radiation Oncology. I have an independent translational lab that specifically focuses on cancer disparity epidemiology, "deep phenotype" and biomarker development, and translational scientific outreach and engagement in the context of addressing cancer disparities. I have led numerous studies and national/international collaborative scientific efforts that identify and characterize drivers of prostate cancer disparities.
My research uses an interdisciplinary approach to studying and addressing prostate cancer disparities that combines methods from clinical research, epidemiology, translational genomics, molecular biology, public policy, social science, and community outreach/engagement. Given that prostate cancer is associated with some of the greatest and most persistent disparities in cancer outcomes, I have focused my career research and leadership efforts in this area. My major immediate research goal is to address cancer disparities by increasing minority participation in cancer research, particularly in precision-omics and targeted therapy research. To date, genomic efforts have been highly Eurocentric, which could potentially widen disparities by leading to risk prediction models and therapy development that do not take diversity into account.
My lab and research expertise have qualified me to serve as the Assistant Director of COE and as Vice Chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology. Furthermore, my research focus and emphasis on public service and health disparities have led to me actively serving on several expert committees and panels, including the 2023 ASCO GU Program Committee, The Lancet Commission on Prostate Cancer, the Advanced Prostate Cancer Consensus Panel, The White House Health Equity Leaders Roundtable, American Cancer Society (ACS) National Advisory Team on Prostate Cancer Disparities, and American Society of Clinical Oncology Germline and Somatic Genomic Testing for Advanced and Metastatic Prostate Cancer Expert Panel. As Assistant Director of COE, I also lead “COE Advocates” and “COE Clinical Champions,” groups that are focused on increasing research and clinical trial participation for the large and diverse population residing in south Florida.