Grantee: Caryn Lerman, PhD

Caryn Lerman, PhD

Organization:

• University of Southern California

Caryn Lerman, Ph.D., is nationally recognized for her research in the areas of cancer prevention, nicotine addiction, and pharmacogenetics. Her work is distinguished not only by its interdisciplinary bridging, but also by its relevance to clinical practice and health policy. Her contributions to cancer prevention include the first empirical data on decision making and outcomes of genetic testing for cancer susceptibility. Her interest in the genetic underpinnings of cancer risk behaviors resulted in work that identifies genetic variants related to tobacco use and smoking cessation treatment response. These studies culminated in the first prospective stratified pharmacogenetic trial in the field of tobacco dependence, with a considerable impact on the application of precision medicine for tobacco dependence treatment.

Dr. Lerman has also created a novel research program that harnesses advances in cognitive neuroscience to promote cancer risk behavior change, laying the foundation for her receipt of a National Cancer Institute Outstanding Investigator Award (R35). Her innovative scientific program is likely to have transformative effects on current paradigms for behavioral cancer prevention.

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