Prevention and Control

Associate Director: Graham Colditz, MD, DrPH
Program Co-Leaders: Sarah Gehlert, PhD, and Matthew Kreuter, PhD 

The Prevention and Control Program includes 53 members from 11 different departments and three schools: Washington University School of Medicine, Washington University School of Social Work and Saint Louis University School of Public Health. The program’s overarching goal is to develop and conduct research across the cancer continuum that is transdisciplinary in nature and translational in focus. 

Within the program, transdisciplinary research spans from cell to society to address key problems in cancer prevention and control, including disparities, communication, tobacco control and energy balance. Translational research evaluates efforts to implement and disseminate evidence-based cancer control initiatives into clinical and public health practice as well as health policy. To achieve these goals, the Prevention and Control Program:

• Provides scientific leadership that identifies and actively promotes opportunities for trandisciplinary and translational cancer prevention and control science
• Recruits and supports new scientific talent with interests and experience in the two goal areas
• Assembles and supports transdisciplinary teams across the cancer center
• Coordinates seminars, workshops and training sessions that help shape the research ideas and skills of cancer prevention and control researchers
• Builds community partnerships to assure cancer center research is responsive to local needs, conducted in real world settings and accountable for timely translation of research into practice

Leading-edge research is under way across the program. Examples include studies examining and reducing breast cancer disparities, integrating communication into cancer care and exploring ways to improve tobacco control from genetics to social systems.

PROGRAM MEMBERS