MD, PhD
Professor, Gynecology Oncology
Director, Gynecology Oncology
UNC-Chapel Hill
Clinical Research
Gynecologic Oncology Program
Area of Interest
My clinical interests focus on gynecologic oncology.
My research focuses on understanding the interactions between cell signaling pathways implicated in endometrial cancer pathogenesis as a means to target therapy for this disease. In this pursuit, I have investigated many novel targeted therapies for the treatment of endometrial cancer, including mTOR inhibitors, arsenic, a human monoclonal antibody to the insulin growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R), soy, genistein and most recently, metformin.
I am also interested in the impact that obesity has on endometrial cancer development and progression which may invariably dictate different treatment options for this particularly high-risk patient population. In addition, I have a clinical trial underway which is a microarray-based endeavor to correlate gene expression patterns with clinical outcomes and parameters in endometrial cancer, including obesity, lymph node status and recurrence risk.
Awards and Honors
- Elected to Board of Directors, Society of Gynecologic Oncology, 2023
- Innovation Award, Society of Gynecologic Oncology, Annual Meeting on Women’s Cancer, Tampa, Florida, 2023
- Elected co-chair of the National Cancer Institute Gynecologic Cancers Steering Committee’s Uterine Task Force, 2022
- Society of Gynecologic Oncologists, Moderator for Translational Research Focused Plenary, 2010
- Society of Gynecologic Investigation, Moderator for Gynecological Oncology Oral Presentations, 2010
- Mid-Atlantic Gynecologic Oncology Society, Secretary-Treasurer, 2010
- Roadmap Multidisciplinary Clinical Research Career Development K12 Scholar, 2007-2010
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University Cancer Research Fund (UCRF) Award, 2008-2010