Research: Cancer Population Sciences

Cancer population sciences is focused on understanding and reducing cancer risk and occurrence, and improving health outcomes.

Research members are focused on tobacco science, cancer prevention and screening, and caregivers and survivorship, with cross-cutting themes in healthcare delivery and rural disparities, to address the burden of cancer across the catchment area.

Theme One

Reduce tobacco use in vulnerable populations and provide evidence to guide tobacco policy.

Theme Two

Develop and evaluate cancer screening strategies that maximize benefits while minimizing harms.

Theme Three

Develop interventions to improve the health and quality of life of cancer survivors and their caregivers.

in grant funding awarded in 2023.

Program Impact

UVM Cancer Center member hosts national conference on smoking and tobacco use among women and girls.

Stephen Higgins, PhD, organized the 11th Annual Vermont Center on Behavior and Health Conference held October 5-6, 2023 in Burlington, Vermont. The conference brought together national experts in the behavioral, psychological, and physiological aspects of tobacco use and addiction, and featured speakers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the Vermont Department of Health, and numerous academic institutions, as well as remarks from Senator Peter Welch and presentations by Cancer Center members Elias Klemperer, PhD, and Eric Thrailkill, PhD.

New study funded by the National Cancer Institute investigates outcomes after a high-risk benign breast diagnosis.

Brian Sprague, PhD, Don Weaver, MD, Thomas Ahern, PhD, Hannah Perry, MD, and Michelle Sowden, MD, received a new grant from the National Cancer Institute. The study will develop new breast cancer risk prediction models for women diagnosed with benign breast disease, for whom existing risk prediction models do not perform well. The study leverages the Vermont Mammography Registry, in collaboration with five other registries within the national Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium. The results will inform breast cancer prevention and detection strategies for women with a benign breast disease diagnosis.

Survey gathers information about caregivers: the hidden backbone of cancer care.

Maija Reblin, PhD, is leading a survey to better understand the needs of family members and friends who serve as caregivers in our catchment area. Results will inform future service and program recommendations. If you’re a caregiver, you can participate at go.uvm.edu/caregiver. Participants can also choose to receive occasional updates and express interest in future research opportunities relevant to caregiving.

Caregiver Survey