Shelley Tworoger, PhD

Associate Center Director of Population Science
Moffitt Cancer Center
Tampa, FL

The goal of my research program is to improve prevention recommendations and identify women at high risk of breast and ovarian cancer by elucidating the etiology behind their development and progression. My integrative approach leverages complex epidemiologic studies in collaboration with a multidisciplinary team of researchers. My primary focus is to: (i) identify novel risk factors (e.g., psychological distress) and their mechanisms for women’s cancers, (ii) understand how the host macroenvironment impacts tumor heterogeneity and the associated microenvironment, (iii) evaluate novel factors related to survival among cancer patients, and (iv) implement consortial approaches to develop clinically actionable risk prediction models. A common thread in my research is a strong interest in optimal integration of biologic markers into epidemiologic studies. A key research accomplishment is creating and leading the data coordinating center for the Ovarian Cancer Cohort Consortium (OC3; n=25 cohorts; https://www.theoc3.org/). I manage implementation of consortium guidelines, data curation and harmonization and the conduct of statistical analyses. The OC3 has published 12 articles (60% in journals with an impact factor >10; 50% I was [co]-senior author). We have obtained 10 related grants, many led by junior faculty that I mentored. I am PI of a grant to conduct a blinded, placebo-controlled, randomized trial in the neoadjuvant chemotherapy setting in ovarian cancer patients. From 410 articles (>16,000 citations, H-index=68, Web of Science), I am first author or senior/co-senior author on >140. I have continuously held R01 or equivalent funding since 2006.