Eugene Lengerich

Dr. Eugene Lengerich is a Professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences at Pennsylvania State University, serving as Head of the Section of Public Health Preparedness and Associate Director for Health Disparities and Engagement at the Penn State Cancer Institute. He also directs the Office for Cancer Health Equity (OCHE), leveraging community networks to address health disparities. His academic roles include Faculty Director of the Graduate Program in Homeland Security - Public Health Preparedness Option, established in 2006 to train professionals in health emergency management.

Dr. Lengerich holds a VMD from the University of Pennsylvania and an MS from Penn State University Park, with postgraduate training at the CDC's Epidemic Intelligence Service and Preventive Medicine Residency programs. His research focuses on epidemiology of chronic diseases, geospatial health disparities, and community-based interventions in rural and Appalachian populations. He has pioneered GIS tools like LionVu for health risk visualization and led NIH/CDC-funded initiatives addressing cancer disparities and tobacco control.

His recent research emphasizes cancer survivorship social dynamics, occupational health for agricultural workers, and faith-based cancer screening strategies for underserved communities. He has secured grants from NIH, CDC, HRSA, and private foundations, and serves on editorial boards and national cancer research consortia.

• Key Achievements:
  • Developed the first multi-state cancer registry analysis for Appalachia
  • Recipient of 2018 'Masters Program in Homeland Security in the U.S.' award
  • Co-Principal Investigator for $5.4M Appalachia Community Cancer Network (2010-2016)
• Grants & Programs:
  • Training Program for Public Health Preparedness (NIH, 2010-2015)
  • Rural Health Outreach Initiative (HRSA, 2009)
• Leadership Roles:
  • Big Ten Cancer Research Consortium - Population Science WG (2020-)
  • Appalachian Translational Research Network Executive Committee (2018-)