The Department of Preventive Medicine at the Keck School of Medicine of USC has been pivotal in advancing the field. The Department is known for its strong research, excellence in teaching and commitment to promoting community health through education. Thanks to the foresight of its founders, the Department has become world renowned for its research, faculty and vision.

National and International Recognition

Stanley P. Azen, Ph.D.,
Fellow, International Statistics Institute

Scientific Journal Editorships

Leslie Bernstein, Ph.D.,
Associate Editor, Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers, and Prevention

Steve Sussman, Ph.D.,
Associate Editor, American Journal of Health Behavior

John Peters, M.D., Sc.D.,
Associate Editor, American Journal of Industrial Medicine

Stanley P. Azen, Ph.D.,
Editor-In-Chief, Computational Statistics and Data Analysis

William J. Gauderman, Ph.D.,
Associate Editor, Computational Statistics and Data Analysis

Mimi Yu, Ph.D.,
Associate Editor, Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers, and Prevention

Bryan M. Langholz , Ph.D.,
Associate Editor, Biometrics

Study shows higher rates of lung cancer in African-American, Native Hawaiian smokers »
Lung cancer is more likely to develop in cigarette smokers who are African American or Native Hawaiian than in smokers who are white, Japanese American or Latino, according to a study published in this week’s issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. “We wanted to see to what extent population-based differences in lung cancer incidence can be explained by differences in cigarette smoking,” said Christopher Haiman, assistant professor of preventive medicine at the Keck School and lead author on the study.

Melanoma study finds Latinos at rising risk »
Latinos in California are increasingly being diagnosed with melanoma, a potentially deadly form of skin cancer, according to a study by researchers at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. The study will appear in the March 1 issue of the journal Cancer but was published early online on Jan. 23. “When a tumor is thick, that usually means it has been developing for a while,” said lead author Myles Cockburn, assistant professor of preventive medicine at the Keck School. “This is a disease that has a great chance of cure when found early, and routine screening can catch early cases. But in this population, the cancer is becoming more common, and it’s not being caught early enough.

USC-led Study Probes Perils of Smoking »
“We wanted to see to what extent population-based differences in lung cancer incidence can be explained by differences in cigarette smoking,” said Christopher Haiman, assistant professor of preventive medicine in the Keck School of Medicine and the lead author on the study. “This is the largest study to date to address this question.”

Manuela Gago-Dominguez and Can-Lan Sun each won Scholar-in-Training awards to attend the 2002 annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR). The award, which is based on the quality of the science presented by each researcher. Was given to only 242 Out of 2,200 candidates, according to Sheri Ozard, AACR program coordinator for the awards.

Along with the honor, winners received between $400 and $2,000 to assist their attendance and research presentations at the meeting, which was held in San Francisco.

Gago-Dominguez and Sun, both of the Department of Preventive Medicine, won an AFLAC Award. Such awards are specially selected and are given to the top abstract presenters who also are associate members of the AACR, Ozard said.

Gago-Dominguez presented results from her ongoing studies on carcinogens in hair dyes and their link to increased bladder cancer risk, while Sun discussed research linking certain polyphenols found in tea to reduced risk of stomach and esophageal cancers among men in Shanghai, China. Both researchers work with Mimi C. Yu, professor of preventive medicine.

High-sugar Diet May Harm Latino Children»
Overweight Latino children who consume lots of sugar – especially in sugary drinks – show signs of beta cell decline, a precursor of type 2 diabetes, according to researchers in the Keck School of Medicine of USC. “If left untreated, overweight and poor diet among these children could have disastrous consequences for minority health and the health-care costs for future generations,” said Michael Goran, professor of preventive medicine in the Keck School, associate director of the USC Institute for Prevention Research and the study’s senior author.

Smoking damage may jump generations»
“This is the first study to show that if a woman smokes while she is pregnant, both her children and grandchildren may be more likely to have asthma as a result,” said the study’s senior author, Frank D. Gilliland, professor of preventive medicine at the Keck School.

American Cancer Society honors Keck School professor of preventive medicine»
Malcolm C. Pike, renowned cancer researcher and professor of preventive medicine at the Keck School of Medicine, was one of five cancer pioneers and volunteers honored by the American Cancer Society

Howard Hodis named Bauer/Rawlins Professor in Cardiology»
Howard N. Hodis, director of the USC Atherosclerosis Research Unit, has been named the Harry J. Bauer and Dorothy Bauer Rawlins Professor of Cardiology.

Parents’ unhealthy lifestyles trigger numerous detrimental effects on chidren»
Bin Xie, a Ph.D. candidate and research associate, investigated the effect of parental smoking on patterns of consumption of vegetables, fruit, meat, milk and sweets, time spent watching television, and engagement in vigorous physical activity, alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking in Chinese adolescents.

NCI gives $12.8 million for USC/Norris-led cancer study»
The National Cancer Institute has pledged $12.8 million to continue the California Teachers Study, an expansive study of cancer among female schoolteachers that is led by USC/Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center researchers.

Sun exposure may reduce prostate cancer risk»
In the largest such study to date, a research team from three cancer centers—including USC/Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center—has found that increased exposure to sunlight may decrease the risk of prostate cancer. The team included Sue Ingles, assistant professor of preventive medicine at the Keck School of Medicine.