FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Kyra Meister
703-836-1746
kyra.meister@preventcancer.org
Electra D. Paskett, Ph.D.
Alexandria, Va. – The Prevent Cancer Foundation® today announced that Electra D. Paskett, Ph.D., will serve as the new co-chair of its Scientific Review Panel, joining current co-chair James L. Mulshine, M.D. The distinguished Scientific Review Panel is an independent, external group whose members review grant and fellowship applications for the Foundation and recommend awards for promising research with novel approaches for prevention and early detection. The Review Panel is comprised of members from renowned institutions such as the National Cancer Institute, Georgetown University Lombardi Cancer Center, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medical College, Johns Hopkins Cancer Center, Rush University Medical Center and the University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Paskett is a Marion N. Rowley Professor of Cancer Research at The Ohio State University. She is also director of the Division of Cancer Prevention and Control in the College of Medicine, professor in the Division of Epidemiology in the College of Public Health, associate director for Population Sciences and Community Outreach. She is also founding director of the Center for Cancer Health Equity at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute
Dr. Paskett received her doctorate in epidemiology from the University of Washington and has almost 400 peer-reviewed publications showcasing her work in intervention research directed at cancer prevention, early detection and survivorship issues. Her studies and research aim to identify and intervene on factors causing disparities among medically underserved populations, such as social and ethnic minority groups and rural populations.
In 2016, she was appointed by President Obama as a member of the National Cancer Institute’s National Cancer Advisory Board. In 2022, Dr. Paskett was re-appointed by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine as a member of the Ohio Commission on Minority Health before being appointed chair in 2023.
Dr. Paskett is the recipient of multiple awards, including the American Society of Preventive Oncology’s Distinguished Achievement Award, the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology’s Jimmie Holland Award, the American Association for Cancer Research’s (AACR) Distinguished Lecture Award on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities, the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s American Cancer Society Cancer Prevention Award, and the AACR’s Team Science Award for her role in the Women’s Health Initiative.
Dr. Paskett will replace longtime leader in the cancer prevention community, Bernard Levin, M.D., FACP, as he steps down from his current role as co-chair. During his tenure, Dr. Levin, professor emeritus of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, has been a champion in ushering in a generation of cancer prevention scientists. He was the first division head and vice president of population sciences at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Most recently, Dr. Levin served as chair of the American Cancer Society’s National Advisory Task Force on Colorectal Cancer. He was also founding co-chair of the National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable, president of the International Society of Gastrointestinal Carcinogenesis and founding chair of the World Gastroenterology Organization Foundation. Currently, Dr. Levin serves on the editorial board of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
“Under Dr. Levin’s leadership, the Scientific Review Panel helped us find the best and brightest in the field, and we are immensely grateful for his years of dedication, national leadership and community service,” said Jody Hoyos, CEO of the Prevent Cancer Foundation. “We are equally proud and honored to have Dr. Paskett join us as we continue to discover the next generation of promising early-career researchers eager to explore ideas to advance cancer prevention and early detection efforts.”
To learn about previously funded research projects driving key advancements in cancer prevention and early detection, explore the Prevent Cancer Foundation’s Award Database.
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About the Prevent Cancer Foundation®
The Prevent Cancer Foundation® is the only U.S.-based nonprofit organization solely dedicated to cancer prevention and early detection. Through research, education, outreach and advocacy, we have helped countless people avoid a cancer diagnosis or detect their cancer early enough to be successfully treated. We are driven by a vision of a world where cancer is preventable, detectable and beatable for all.
The Foundation is rising to meet the challenge of reducing cancer deaths by 40% by 2035. To achieve this, we are committed to investing $20 million for innovative technologies to detect cancer early and advance multi-cancer screening, $10 million to expand cancer screening and vaccination access to medically underserved communities, and $10 million to educate the public about screening and vaccination options.
For more information, please visit www.preventcancer.org.
