The Case Comprehensive Cancer Center (Case CCC) is pleased to welcome Jennifer Cullen, PhD, MPH as its new Associate Director for Cancer Population Sciences, following an extensive search after the departure of Li Li, MD, PhD in January 2019. Dr. Cullen joins us from the US Department of Defense Center for Prostate Disease Research (CDPR) where she was Interim co-Director and Director of the Epidemiologic Research Program and from the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences (USU) where she was Associate Professor. She has been appointed Professor in the Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences at the Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) School of Medicine. As Associate Director, Dr. Cullen will oversee the broad interests and approaches taken by members of the Case CCC, its consortium institutions and research members in all aspects of cancer population sciences. We are particularly interested in linking basic discoveries to our communities across northern Ohio, to understand our population risks and to implement studies that reduce these risks through screening and lifestyle changes.
As a cancer epidemiologist, Dr. Cullen’s predominant research focus has been on the identification and validation of biomarkers and assay panels to forecast prostate cancer outcomes, with appreciation for examining health disparities, and considering quality of life trajectories for cancer survivors. Her leadership role in the validation study of the Oncotype Dx® 17-gene panel for predicting prostate cancer progression culminated in a presentation at the 2014 European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) meeting in Madrid, Spain, and publication of findings in European Urology (Cullen et al., July 2015). The biopsy-based assay, now known as the Oncotype Dx® Genomic Prostate Score, can predict both clinical risk and tumor aggressiveness, helping men make decisions regarding the need for immediate treatment of their cancer.
We are excited to welcome Jennifer to our leadership as our population scientists work to improve health across our communities.