Mission Statement
Transformative oncology research practices utilizing a spectrum of implementation tactics aimed toward human and social interaction research to reduce health differences
Objectives
- Foundational research on Health Disparities from the Molecule to the Community
- Omics data science approach, state of the art approach, innovative.
- Developing policy and recommendations to reducing health disparities
Co-Chair
Luisel Ricks-Santi, Ph.D.
Luisel Ricks-Santi, Ph.D., is an associate professor in the department of pharmacotherapy and translational research in the College of Pharmacy at the University of Florida. She is a cancer genomics researcher, population scientist and cancer disparities researcher. Ricks-Santi is a 2000 graduate of Hampton University, where she received her bachelor of science degree in cellular and molecular biology. Additionally, she received her Ph.D. from Georgetown University in tumor biology and completed two postdoctoral fellowships at Howard University in cancer genomics/cancer disparities research and clinical-translational sciences. Her current research aims to identify the genetic drivers of cancer disparities with a focus on the breast and prostate cancer, two cancers with high mortality rates in the African American community.
Ricks-Santi is committed to diversity and inclusion through research education and training, and she is particularly adept in the areas of grantsmanship, organizational leadership, clinical-translational methods and transdisciplinary team science approaches. In her spare time, she uses her cancer biology background in service to her community by educating about cancer screening recommendations, participation in clinical trials and engaging diverse communities in precision medicine research. Interacting directly with the community has inspired her to become a greater advocate for cancer screening, especially in communities where cancer incidence and mortality is high.
She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and the The Links, Inc., organizations dedicated to the implementation of programs that impact health disparities in the global community.
Areas of Expertise Cancer Epidemiologist | Population Sciences | Genomics | Genetic Epidemiology | Precision Medicine | Clinical-Translational Medicine | Next Generation Sequencing | Microbiome | Bioinformatics | Biostatistics | Epidemiology | Biospecimen Science |Cancer Genetics & Genomics | Public Health Genomics | Molecular Biology | Health Disparities | Cancer Disparities | STEM Education in Minorities and Women