Melissa Boneta Davis

Melissa Boneta Davis serves as Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Surgery at Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University, where she leads groundbreaking research on cancer health disparities through genomic and biological determinants in African descent populations. Her work bridges surgical oncology with precision medicine to address racial inequities in cancer outcomes.

Her educational foundation includes:

• B.S. from Albany State University (1996)
• Ph.D. from University of Georgia (2003)

Dr. Davis specializes in uncovering how genetic ancestry influences tumor biology and treatment response, with particular focus on triple-negative breast cancer and prostate cancer in African American communities. Her lab employs systems biology approaches to analyze tumor-immune interactions, epigenetic regulation, and social determinants of health, aiming to translate genomic findings into ancestry-informed clinical interventions. She actively mentors through the International Center for the Study of Breast Cancer Subtypes (ICSBCS), which she directs.

Analysis of her 15 most recent publications (2022-2025) reveals consistent emphasis on genetic ancestry as a biological variable in cancer disparities, with increasing integration of social determinants like neighborhood disadvantage. Her work spans molecular mechanisms (DARC signaling, vitamin D receptor biology), clinical outcomes (survival disparities, screening impacts), and policy implications (DEIA frameworks), establishing her as a leader in precision oncology for underserved populations.

Dr. Davis actively secures major research funding through:

• Principal Investigator on NCI grant The DARC side of Breast Cancer Disparities (2021-2026)
• Co-Investigator on DoD projects targeting therapeutic resistance (2021-2025)
• Co-Investigator on Susan G. Komen initiative for Triple Negative Breast Cancer in African Ancestry populations (2019-2026)

She directs the Davis Global Genomics Lab and ICSBCS, maintaining prospective cohorts of over 5,000 cases with biospecimens spanning tumor tissue, blood, and patient-derived organoids across Africa and the diaspora. Her team's global collaborations in a dozen African sites enable ancestral genomic analyses that reveal population-specific therapeutic targets and disparity mechanisms, positioning her research at the forefront of inclusive oncology.