معرفی
Elena Martinez is a Professor at the University of California San Diego (UCSD), holding the Sam M. Walton Endowed Chair for Cancer Research and co-leading the Reducing Cancer Disparities Program at the Moores Cancer Center. She is affiliated with the Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health & Human Longevity Science and the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine. Dr. Martinez earned a PhD in Epidemiology and a Master’s in Public Health. Her research focuses on cancer disparities, breast and colorectal cancer prevention, particularly in Hispanic populations, and molecular epidemiology. She leads initiatives like the Ella Binational Breast Cancer Study and the California Teachers Study. She has secured NIH funding for projects addressing colorectal cancer screening disparities, breast cancer in postpartum Hispanic women, and Helicobacter pylori eradication. Notable awards include the 2013 Women Who Mean Business Award and roles as editor of the Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention journal. Her work emphasizes global health equity, policy, and translational research.
Research Interests: Dr. Martinez’s research spans cancer epidemiology, molecular mechanisms of cancer development, and health disparities. She investigates how social determinants and genetic factors influence cancer outcomes in underserved communities. Her work on the Ella Study explores environmental and genetic contributors to breast cancer in Latin America. She champions culturally tailored interventions to improve cancer screening and survivorship care, especially in low-income and minority groups. Her lab integrates epidemiological methods with genomic and epigenetic analyses to identify high-risk populations and optimize prevention strategies.
Grants & Projects:
- NIH UH3CA233314: CRC-HUB-SPOKE for colorectal cancer screening in Southern California CHCs.
- NIH U01CA199277: Enhancing the California Teachers Study Cohort.
- NIH U01CA153086: Epigenetic features of pregnancy-associated breast cancer in Hispanic women.
- NIH U54CA132379/84: SDSU/UCSD Cancer Center Partnership.
Publications & Leadership: Over 200 peer-reviewed articles in journals like JAMA, Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention, and Nature Genetics. Serves on editorial boards and national advisory councils, including the American Association for Cancer Research’s Minorities in Cancer Research Council. Active in shaping cancer screening guidelines and policy through the American Cancer Society.
Labs/Teams: Collaborates with multidisciplinary teams at the Moores Cancer Center, UCSD Health Sciences, and global institutions. Leads the UCSD Colorectal Cancer Screening Hub and the Ella Study’s Latin American consortium.
