Hazel B. Nichols

Hazel B. Nichols, PhD, is a Professor in the Department of Epidemiology at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health and a member of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. She serves as Co-Leader of the UNC Lineberger Cancer Epidemiology Research Program and is faculty director of the UNC Cancer Survivorship Cohort. Dr. Nichols is also the lead instructor for the EPID 771 course "Cancer Epidemiology: Survivorship and Outcomes."

Dr. Nichols' educational background includes:

• PhD in Epidemiology from Johns Hopkins University (2011)
• SM in Epidemiology from Harvard University (2003)
• BS in Ecology/Evolutionary Biology from Tulane University (2000)

Dr. Nichols is a cancer epidemiologist whose research focuses on improving cancer care by providing epidemiologic evidence to guide personal and medical decision-making around cancer risk and survivorship. Her work particularly addresses the intersection of cancer and reproductive health across the lifespan. She leads multiple studies including the Carolina Endometrial Cancer Study, the Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) Horizon Study, the Valuing Opinions and Insight from Cancer Experiences (VOICE) Study, and the UNC Cancer Survivorship Cohort. Her research methodology primarily involves population-based observational cohort studies, health systems data, and linked information from cancer registries, vital statistics, health care databases, and administrative insurance claims. Recent publications demonstrate her focus on adolescent and young adult cancer survivorship, reproductive health outcomes after cancer, LGBTQ+ disparities in cancer outcomes, and environmental factors affecting cancer risk.

Dr. Nichols' scientific contributions have been recognized with numerous awards including the HMO Research Network Early Career Investigator Award (2014), the Electra Paskett Annual Scholarship Award from the American Society of Preventive Oncology (2013), and the AACR Translational Research Scholarship (2010). She has also received multiple scholarships from Johns Hopkins University during her doctoral studies.

As faculty director of the UNC Cancer Survivorship Cohort and principal investigator of multiple studies, Dr. Nichols mentors students and early-career researchers in cancer epidemiology. Her work has been supported by various grants that enable large-scale epidemiological studies focused on cancer outcomes and survivorship. She collaborates extensively with researchers across UNC Lineberger and the Gillings School to investigate cancer disparities, survivorship care, and reproductive health outcomes. Dr. Nichols has been instrumental in launching the Endometrial Cancer Center of Excellence at UNC Lineberger to advance research and clinical care for endometrial cancer patients.

Dr. Nichols is actively involved with the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, where she co-leads the Cancer Epidemiology Research Program. She collaborates with multidisciplinary teams across UNC to advance research on cancer prevention, treatment, and survivorship, with particular attention to women's health issues and the unique challenges faced by adolescent and young adult cancer patients. Her leadership in the Carolina Endometrial Cancer Study and the AYA Horizon Study has positioned her as a key researcher in understanding cancer outcomes across the lifespan.