Erik Nelson

Erik Nelson is a Professor in the Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology and Research Program Leader at the Cancer Center at Illinois, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His additional appointments include Associate Professor in Nutritional Sciences and at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, with affiliate roles at the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology and Personalized Nutrition Initiative. He co-leads the Cancer Engineering and Biological Systems research program under the Mechanistic and Quantitative Biology theme.

As a trained endocrinologist specializing in nuclear receptor pharmacology, Dr. Nelson integrates physiology, endocrinology, and in vivo models to address breast cancer—the most diagnosed cancer in women. His lab develops chemopreventative strategies and lifestyle interventions to reduce cancer incidence and mortality through translational research.

His work spans critical areas including:

• Breast and Thyroid Cancer biology with focus on survivorship
• Nuclear receptor pharmacology and endocrine mechanisms
• Reproductive physiology and bone biology interfaces
• Translational applications using animal models