Jennifer S. Smith

Dr. Jennifer S. Smith is a Professor in the Department of Epidemiology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Gillings School of Global Public Health. She is affiliated with the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, UNC Center for AIDS Research, and UNC Center for Women’s Health Research. Her research focuses on HPV infection and cervical cancer prevention, with global studies in China, Kenya, South Africa, and North Carolina. She has published over 200 peer-reviewed articles and received numerous awards, including the 2015 John E. Larsh Award and recognition as a top expert in early cancer detection by Expertscape (2019).

Education: PhD in Epidemiology (Johns Hopkins University, 2000), MPH in Population Dynamics (Johns Hopkins, 1995), BA in Chemistry/French (Amherst College, 1991).

Research Interests: HPV epidemiology, cervical cancer prevention via screening and vaccines, and global health equity. Current projects include HPV self-screening in high-risk populations in Kenya and rural North Carolina.

Grants & Awards: $3M grant for cervical cancer screening improvements, Elion Research Award (2003), Chateaubriand Fellowship (1998), and Delta Omega membership.

Labs & Collaborations: Collaborates with the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and global partners in Kenya and China. Leads self-screening demonstration projects in Mombasa and North Carolina.