Cancer Prevention Research Training Program Alumni
The Cancer Prevention Research Training Program (CPRTP) is dedicated to developing the next generation of global health scientists and practitioners. Through structured, mentored research experiences, our trainees engage in either a 10-week summer program or a two- or three-year fellowship, gaining invaluable expertise in cancer prevention at a critical stage in their careers.
We are deeply committed to fostering diversity and inclusion by supporting individuals from underrepresented backgrounds in biomedical research at the graduate and post-graduate levels. As the landscape of health careers evolves, CPRTP continues to adapt and expand, providing trainees with exposure to a broad spectrum of research opportunities.
Our growing network of more than 700 alumni includes distinguished leaders at cancer centers, government agencies, universities, and global health organizations. Many of our alumni have built impactful careers in academia, cancer prevention research, education, consulting, patient care, health communications, and global health. Their contributions are shaping the future of cancer prevention and reinforcing MD Anderson’s mission to end cancer.
Join us and become part of a legacy committed to making a difference in the fight against cancer!
Project: Cancer Screening Prevalence Among Tobacco Users in the United States: Findings from the National Health Interview
Primary Mentor: Sanjay Shete, Ph.D., Professor of Biostatistics & Epidemiology; Deputy Vice President, Division of Cancer Prevention & Population Sciences
I really enjoyed the opportunity to interact with the different postdoctoral fellows in cancer prevention. I learned more about my own research when I presented to them (sometimes informally) and I also enjoyed learning about their research projects. I found a network of colleagues in the fellowship whom I expect will be my lifelong friends.
CPRTP Alumni
Alumni at MD Anderson
- Cheryl Anderson, Ph.D., Senior Research Scientist, CPRTP, Office of the Vice President of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences
- Clayton Boldt, Ph.D., Program Director, Communications, Public Relations
- Shine Chang, Ph.D., Professor, Epidemiology; Director, Cancer Prevention Research Training Program
- Yong Cui, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Behavioral Science
- Mary Coolbaugh-Murphy, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, School of Health Professions
- Karla Crawford, M.P.H., Senior Clinical Dietician, Integrative Medicine Center
- Kplola Y. Elhor Gbito, Ph.D., Assistant Epidemiologist II, Epidemiology
- Michelle Hildebrandt, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Lymphoma-Myeloma
- Maosheng Huang, Ph.D., Senior Statistical Analyst, Epidemiology
- Guojon Li, M.D., Ph.D., Professor, Head & Neck Surgery Research
- Scherezade "Scher" Mama DrPH, Assistant Professor, Health Disparities Research
- Kathrin Milbury, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Behavioral Science
- Jennifer Minnix, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Behavioral Science
- Son Viet Nguyen, M.D., Instructor, Hospital Medicine
- Madhu Purewal, Ph.D., J.D., Senior Legal Officer and Director, Institutional Compliance
- Margaret Raber, DrPH, Assistant Professor, Health Disparities Research
- Lorraine Reitzel, Ph.D., Professor and Deputy Chair, Health Disparities Research
- Jason Robinson, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Behavioral Science
- Altrivice Revis, M.B.A., Executive Director, COO Operations
- Stacie Scruggs, M.P.H., Director, Research Planning and Development, Division of Surgery
- Eileen Shinn, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Behavioral Science
Alumni at Texas Institutions
- Veronica Ajewole, PharmD, BCOP, Assistant Professor, Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Texas Southern University,; Adjunct Assistant Professor of Oncology, Houston Methodist (Houston, TX)
- Hoda Badr, Ph.D., Professor, Medicine, Epidemiology and Population Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine (Houston, TX)
- Julienne Brackett, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Pediatrics, Sect. of Hematology-Oncology, Baylor College of Medicine/Texas Children's Cancer Center (Houston, TX)
- Miguel Cano, Ph.D., Associate Professor, School of Public Health, UT Southwestern Medical Center (Dallas, TX)
- Yessenia Castro, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Associate Dean for Doctoral Education, Steve Hicks School of Social Work, University of Texas at Austin (Austin, TX)
- Eric Chi, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Statistics, Rice University (Houston, TX)
- Virmarie Correa-Fernandez, Ph.D., Associate Professor & PHLS Associate Chair, Psychological, Health, & Learning Sciences (PHLS), University of Houston (Houston, TX)
- Ashish Deshmukh, Ph.D., Associate Professor, College of Medicine, Public Health Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina (Charleston, SC)
- Faith Fletcher, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Baylor College of Medicine (Houston, TX)
- Daniel Hughes, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (San Antonio, TX)
- Lily Kuo, M.D., Resident Physician, University of Texas Health (San Antonio, TX)
- Irene Tami-Maury, Dr.P.H., M.Sc., D.M.D., Assistant Professor (Tenure-Track), Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center, School of Public Health (Houston, TX)
- Charles Minard, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Biostatistician, Baylor College of Medicine (Houston, TX)
- Chelsea Ratcliff, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Psychology and Philosophy, Sam Houston State University (Houston, TX)
- Michael Scheurer, Ph.D., Professor, Hematology-Oncology, Baylor College of Medicine
- Karyn Skaar, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology, Northeast Texas Community College (Mt Pleasant, TX)
Alumni at Other Institutions
- Claire A. Spears, Ph.D., Associate Professor, School of Public Health, Georgia State University (Atlanta, GA)
- Jennifer Adams, M.D., Research Assistant Professor, University of Colorado (Denver, CO)
- Carrie Aigner, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Psychology, Humboldt State University (Arcata, CA)
- Rachel Atkinson, Ph.D., Sr. Clinical Value and Outcomes Liaison, Seattle Genetics (Bothell, WA)
- Jill S. Barnholtz-Sloan, Ph.D., Director for Research Health Analyticsept. of Epidemiology, University Hospitals (Cleveland, OH)
- Whitney (Boling) Blondeau, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Applied Sciences, Indiana State University (Terre Haute, IN)
- Michael Businelle, Ph.D., Director of the mHealth Shared Resource, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center and Stephenson Cancer Center (Oklahoma City, OK)
- Allison Burton-Chase, Ph.D., Chair, Population Health Sciences; Associate Professor, Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (Albany, NY)
- Jessica Clague DeHart, Ph.D., Visiting Professor, Community and Global Health, School of Community & Global Health, Claremont Graduate University (Claremont, CA)
- Tracy Costello, Ph.D., Director, Postdoctoral Affairs and Graduate Student Development, University of South Florida; Career Coach and Professional Development Consultant, Coach4Postdocs; Executive Coach, STEMPeers (Tampa, FL)
- Menton DeWeese, Ph.D., Instructor, School for Science and Math, Vanderbilt University (Nashville, TN)
- Jan Eberth, Ph.D., Professor and Chair, Health Management and Policy, Drexel University School of Public Health (Philadelphia, PA)
- Adita Hazra, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Associate Epidemiologist, Brigham and Women's Hospital (Boston, MA)
- Whitney Heppner, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Psychology, Georgia College & State University (Athens, GA)
- Shelly Hovick, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Ohio State University (Columbus, OH)
- Abisola Idu (Akisole), M.S., M.P.H., Biostatistician, Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute (Seattle, WA)
- Rosenie Thelus Jean, Ph.D., Director, Defense Health Agency, Pharmacovigilance Center, Patient Safety Program, Office of the Surgeon General, Department of the United States Army (Washington, DC)
- Amit Jethanandani, M.D., Resident Physician, Radiation Oncology, University of Miami / Jackson Health System (Miami, FL)
- Adam Leventhal, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Preventive Medicine and Psychology, University of Southern California (Los Angeles, CA)
- Jennifer Irvine Vidrine, Ph.D., Assistant Center Director for Research Strategic Partnerships; Senior Member, Health Outcomes and Behavior, Moffit Cancer Center (Tampa, FL)
- Nynikka Palmer, Dr.P.H., Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine (Division of General Internal Medicine), Urology and Radiation Oncology, University of California, San Francisco
- Nate Parker, M.P.H., Ph.D., Researcher, Health Outcomes and Behavior, Moffitt Cancer Center (Tampa, FL)
- Raheem Paxton, Ph.D., Associate Professor, College of Community Health Sciences, The University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa, AL)
- Anushree Sharma, Ph.D., Observational Research Manager, Amgen (Thousand Oaks, CA)
- Rajesh Talluri, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, University of Mississippi Medical Center (Jackson, MS)
- Sidish 'Sid' Srinivas Venkataraman, M.D., Resident Physician, Neurological Surgery, Wake Forest University School of Medicine (Winston-Salem, NC)
- Damon Vidrine, DrPH, Chair, Health Outcomes and Behavior, Moffitt Cancer Center (Tampa, FL)
- Alexandra Willauer, M.D., Gastroenterology Fellow, Mass General (Boston, MA)
- Melinda Yates, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina (UNC) School of Medicine (Chapel Hill, NC)
CPRTP Summer Program Alumni
Postdoc Alumni Perspectives
"The most beneficial aspect of my CPRTP training was learning to design studies, write manuscripts & grant applications." -Dr. Nate Parker (2017-2019)
"The (CPRTP) fellowship prepared me to present my work at conferences and meetings with respected epidemiologists."-Dr. Kristina Dahlstrom (2009-2013)
(CPRTP provided) "opportunities to learn & grow...including how to adapt to a culturally different environment."-Dr. Joel Fokom Domgue (2017-2019)
"The CPRTP fellowships were invaluable for my career because they provided excellent mentorship and career development."-Dr. Mala Pande (2003-2009)
" It is very important to me that my work has the goal of helping people."-Dr. Melinda Yates (2010-2012)
"Research often takes on a life of its own. Not everything will move according to the timeline as planned."-Dr. Maria C. Swartz (2004,2010,2011-2014)