PhD, MPH
Professor, Department of Nutrition
UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health
UNC-Chapel Hill
Cancer Epidemiology
Area of Interest
Stephen Hursting, PhD, MPH, is an international leader in the area of nutrition, obesity, metabolism and cancer. His lab focuses on the molecular and metabolic mechanisms underlying obesity-cancer associations, and the impact of obesity- energy balance modulation (eg, calorie restriction and exercise) or pharmacologic agents on cancer development, progression, and responses to chemotherapy. Primarily using genetically engineered mouse models of breast cancer (recently in parallel with several clinical trials), colon cancer and pancreatic cancer, Hursting has identified the IGF1/Akt/mTOR and NF-kB signaling pathways as key targets for breaking the obesity-cancer link. His publications establish causal links between obesity, cancer and several systemic factors (including IGF-1, insulin, leptin and IL-6) and components of their downstream signaling pathways (including mTOR and NF-kb).
Awards and Honors
- Plenary Speaker, International Agency for the Study of Obesity-Nutrition and Cancer Conference, Valencia, Spain, 2010
- World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research, Continuous Update Panel member, 2010-present
- Keynote Speaker, Johns Hopkins University Breast Cancer Program Retreat, Baltimore, MD, June 2010
- NIH Merit Award for Excellence in the Measurement, Analysis, and Release of Nationally Representative Data On Serum Biomarkers From The Insulin-Like Growth Factor Axis, 2009
- Co-Chair, American Association for Cancer Research National Meeting, 2009
- World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research. Mechanisms Working Group Co-Chair for Expert Report: Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity and the Prevention of Cancer: A Global Perspective, 2004-2007
- Malcolm Trout Nutritional Science Award, Michigan State University, 2007
- NIH Merit Award for Leadership/Excellence in Obesity and Cancer Research, 2005
News and Stories
Scientific retreat brings together cancer center community, offers insights across research fields
The UNC Lineberger annual scientific retreat featured faculty talks covering a range of basic, clinical/translational and population science research, as well as a poster session.
Studies highlight progress in understanding the influence of obesity on cancer
Stephen Hursting, PhD, MPH, and colleagues shared their research findings on nutrition, metabolism and obesity and cancer at the 2022 American Association of Cancer Research meeting.
AACR annual meeting to feature UNC Lineberger research
UNC Lineberger researchers and trainees will present nearly 20 research talks and presentations at the 2022 American Association for Cancer Research, April 8-13, in New Orleans.
