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Cancer Center
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Research Overview

Cancer Control and Population Sciences Co-Leaders

Dejana Braithwaite, PhD, MSc

Dejana Braithwaite, PhD, MSc

Professor And Division Chief, Population Health Sciences, Department Of Surgery
Department: MD-SURG-POPULATION HEALTH SCI
Phone: (352) 294-5822
Email: dbraithwaite@ufl.edu
CV: View Curriculum Vitae:
Accomplishments:
  • Inductee
    2017 · Royal Society of Medicine (UK)
  • Member, Expert Panel
    2015 · National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine, National Cancer Policy Forum
  • Mentored Research Scholar Award
    2012-2017 · American Cancer Society
  • Career Catalyst Award
    2011-2014 · Susan Komen Foundation
  • Junior Investigator Award
    2011 · National Center of Excellence in Women’s Health, University of California, San Francisco
  • Junior Investigator Award
    2010 · Academic Senate, University of California, San Francisco
  • Hellman Foundation Award for Early Career Faculty
    2009 · University of California, San Francisco
  • Developmental Award
    2009 · NIH Bay Area Breast Cancer Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE)
  • Cancer Prevention Research Fellowship (1 awarded nationally in the United States)
    2007 · Prevent Cancer Foundation/American Society for Preventive Oncology
  • Scholar-in-Training Award
    2003 · American Association for Cancer Research, Frontiers in Cancer Prevention
  • Pre-doctoral Fellowship (2 awarded nationally in the United Kingdom)
    2000 · Cancer Research U.K.
Research Summary:

Dr. Braithwaite currently leads the Division of Population Health Sciences in the College of Medicine at the University of Florida (UF), and serves as Associate Director for Population Sciences at the UF Health Cancer Center. With an interdisciplinary background in epidemiology, health services research, cancer control and biomedical informatics, Dr. Braithwaite’s work is targeted at developing the evidence to guide healthcare policy decisions and innovative interventions to reduce the burden of cancer and other chronic diseases. Her research program has received awards from the American Cancer Society, American Society for Preventive Oncology and the Prevent Cancer Foundation. Dr. Braithwaite has extensive leadership experience in team science, including leading large, complex, multi-site, multi-project grants. Using diverse data sources and AI technology, Dr. Braithwaite’s team focuses on effectively monitoring, assessing and applying innovative methods to advance healthcare. In addition, Dr. Braithwaite’s research places emphasis on addressing digital inclusion while ensuring that diverse populations receive access to healthcare and resources.

Publications:
Grants:
  • Sep 2023 ACTIVE
    Assessing Benefits and Harms of Medical Cannabis and Cannabinoid Use in Breast Cancer Patients During and After Treatments
    UNIV OF MIAMI · Co-Investigator
  • Jul 2023 ACTIVE
    Advancing Precision Lung Cancer Surveillance and Outcomes in Diverse Populations (PLuS2)
    NATL INST OF HLTH NCI · Principal Investigator
  • Jun 2023 ACTIVE
    UF Health Cancer Center Support Grant
    NATL INST OF HLTH NCI · Other
  • Sep 2022 ACTIVE
    UF HEALTH CANCER CENTER PILOT PROJECTS GRANTS FUNDED THROUGHTHE FLORIDA CONSORTIUM OF NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE CENTER
    UF HEALTH SHANDS HOSPITAL · Project Manager
  • Jul 2022 – Jun 2023
    Risk of adverse cardiovascular events in breast cancer patients receiving systemic adjuvant therapy: impact of comorbidity burden
    FL BREAST CANCER FOU · Principal Investigator
  • Jun 2022 ACTIVE
    University of Florida Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center
    NATL INST OF HLTH NIA · Project Manager
  • Sep 2021 – Dec 2022
    Comorbidity and Screening Outcomes Among Older Women Undergoing Mammography
    NATL INST OF HLTH NCI · Principal Investigator
  • Jun 2021 ACTIVE
    Personalized screening for lung cancer: the importance of co-existing chronic conditions to clinical practice and policy
    NATL INST OF HLTH NCI · Principal Investigator
  • Jan 2020 ACTIVE
    The benefits and harms of lung cancer screening in Florida
    NATL INST OF HLTH NCI · Co-Investigator
Education:
  • 2017-2021
    Fellow, Epidemiology and Public Health
    Royal Society of Medicine
  • 2006-2008
    Cancer Prevention Fellow
    American Society of Preventive Oncology/Prevent Cancer Foundation
  • 2006-2007
    Postdoctoral Fellow, Center for Health and Community
    University of California, San Francisco
  • 2004-2007
    Postdoctoral Fellow in Cancer Epidemiology
    Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco
  • 2004-2006
    Postdoctoral Fellow in Health Services Research, Institute for Health Policy Studies
    University of California, San Francisco
  • 2000-2004
    Ph.D., Epidemiology
    University of Cambridge, Institute of Public Health, Faculty of Clinical Medicine, England
  • 2000-2004
    Fellow in Health Outcomes Research
    Institute of Public Health, University of Cambridge, England and Cancer Research
  • 1998-1999
    M.Sc. (high honors), Public Health
    University College London/Kings College, England
  • 1995-1998
    B.Sc. (high honors), Psychology and Psychobiology
    London Guildhall University, England
Full Profile
Stephanie Staras

Stephanie Staras Ph.D.

Professor And Associate Chair Of Faculty Development
Department: MD-HOBI-GENERAL
Phone: (352) 294-8299
Email: sstaras@mail.ufl.edu
CV: View Curriculum Vitae:
Accomplishments:
  • University of Florida Term Professorship
    2018-2019 · University of Florida
  • University of Florida Exemplary Teaching Award
    2018 · University of Florida
  • Fellow in the National Cancer Institute’s Mentored Training for Dissemination and Implementation Research in Cancer
    2016-2018 · Washington University in St. Louis
  • Health Disparities Research Loan Repayment Program Recipient. Research project entitled: “Development of an Alcohol-Related HIV preventive intervention among African American and Hispanic adolescent women.”
    2012-2014 · National Institutes of Health
  • 18th Annual Summer Course: Principles of STD / HIV Research Scholarship
    2010 · University of Washington Center for AIDS and STD’s
  • Travel Grant Recipient
    2007 · promising new investigators to the 17th International Society of Sexually Transmitted Diseases Research Meeting
  • Co-recipient of the Award for Excellence in International Health
    2001 · Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
  • Best Epidemiologist in the Workforce of Tomorrow Award
    2000 · Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologist
  • 1999 Charles C. Shepard Award for Excellence in Research-– presented to the graduating student who is deemed by the faculty to have prepared the most scholarly research thesis.
    1999 · Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University
Publications:
Grants:
  • Sep 2024 ACTIVE
    Preventing Cervical Cancer through HPV Self-collection and Patient Navigation among Women Living with Chronic Conditions and Social Vulnerability
    NATL INST OF HLTH NCI · Other
  • Jul 2024 ACTIVE
    Text and Talk: A multi-level intervention to increase provider HPV vaccine recommendation effectiveness
    NATL INST OF HLTH NCI · Principal Investigator
  • Jul 2024 ACTIVE
    Enhancing Connection and Communication with Community-Based Oncology Practices to Improve Cancer Clinical Trial Recruitment: The ECCO Study
    LEUKEMIA & LYMPHOMA SOC · Principal Investigator
  • Nov 2023 ACTIVE
    Developing and Evaluating a Machine-Learning Opioid Prediction & Risk-Stratification E-Platform (DEMONSTRATE)
    UNIV OF PITTSBURGH · Co-Investigator
  • Aug 2023 ACTIVE
    Incentive funds for Graduate Medical Education Trainees
    LEUKEMIA & LYMPHOMA SOC · Co-Investigator
  • Aug 2023 ACTIVE
    Implementation of a Cancer Clinical Trials (CCT) Communication Skills Education Program for Medical Oncology Fellows
    LEUKEMIA & LYMPHOMA SOC · Co-Investigator
  • Jul 2023 ACTIVE
    Together: Transforming and Translating Discovery to Improve Health
    NATL INST OF HLTH NCATS · Project Manager
  • Jun 2023 ACTIVE
    UF Health Cancer Center Support Grant
    NATL INST OF HLTH NCI · Other
  • Feb 2023 – Jun 2024
    Clinical Trials Education in GME: A Needs Assessment
    LEUKEMIA & LYMPHOMA SOC · Co-Investigator
  • Sep 2022 ACTIVE
    ReMARk: A multi-level strategy to address disparities in rural HPV-related cancer prevention
    NATL INST OF HLTH NCI · Principal Investigator
  • Sep 2021 ACTIVE
    Multi-Stakeholder Engagement for Interdisciplinary Telehealth in Lewy Body Dementia
    NATL INST OF HLTH NIA · Other
  • Jul 2021 – Oct 2023
    Developing and Evaluating a Machine-Learning Opioid Prediction & Risk-Stratification E-Platform (DEMONSTRATE)
    NATL INST OF HLTH NIDA · Co-Investigator
  • Jul 2021 – May 2024
    Together: Transforming and Translating Discovery to Improve Health
    NATL INST OF HLTH NCATS · Other
  • Jul 2019 – Jun 2024
    Text and Talk: A multi-level intervention to increase provider HPV vaccine recommendation effectiveness
    NATL INST OF HLTH NCI · Principal Investigator
  • Apr 2018 – Oct 2018
    Stakeholder Engagement and Multi-Risk Assessment in Dental Care Settings
    UNIV OF ALABAMA BIRMINGHAM · Co-Investigator
  • Apr 2017 – Mar 2018
    The National Dental PBRN FY18
    UNIV OF ALABAMA BIRMINGHAM · Co-Investigator
  • Dec 2016 – Jul 2019
    Establishing and Evaluating a School and University Campus-Based Approach to Implementing Serogroup B Meningococcal (MenB) Disease Recommendations in Older Adolescents and Young Adults.
    PFIZER INC · Co-Project Director/Principal Investigator
  • Feb 2016 – Jan 2020
    Maximizing HPV vaccination: Real-time Reminders, Guidance, and Recommendations
    NATL INST OF HLTH NCI · Principal Investigator
  • Dec 2015 – Oct 2016
    Staras HPV R01 Pilot – Miscellaneous Donors
    MISCELLANEOUS DONORS · Principal Investigator
  • Jul 2015 – Jun 2024
    Florida Academic Cancer Center Alliance Seed Grants
    UF HEALTH SHANDS HOSPITAL · Project Manager
  • Feb 2015 – Oct 2023
    UF Health Cancer Center Pilot Project Grants funded through the Florida Consortium of National Cancer Institute Centers Program
    UF HEALTH SHANDS HOSPITAL · Project Manager
  • Jun 2014 – Dec 2017
    OneFlorida Cancer Control Network
    FL DEPT OF HLTH BIOMED RES PGM/J&E KING · Project Manager
  • Jul 2006 – Dec 2020
    21st Century Research & Economic Development Investment Program (REDIP)
    STATE UNIV SYS OF FL BOARD OF GOVERNORS · Project Manager
Education:
  • 2016-2018
    Mentored Training for Dissemination and Implementation Research in Cancer Fellowship
    Washington University, St. Louis
  • 2006
    Doctor of Philosophy, Department of Epidemiology
    Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Emory University
  • 2000
    Master of Science of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology
    Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University
  • 1998
    Bachelor of Science, Department of Biology
    Bucknell University
  • 1998
    Bachelor of Science , Department of Mathematics
    Bucknell University
Full Profile
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