About Me

I am a clinical geneticist who specializes in the diagnosis and management of individuals with strong family histories of cancer and other gene-based disorders, including breast cancers associated with the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. I also lead the Clinical Cancer Genetics program.

Clinical genetics is very much a multidisciplinary practice, especially at the Stefanie Spielman Comprehensive Breast Center, where we use a multidisciplinary and multimodal approach to patient care.

I meet with people who are newly diagnosed with cancer to determine if their genetic status might influence the type of surgery they choose to have. I also meet with: cancer survivors who want to know if they should be screened for other types of cancers; people who have a strong family history of cancer, but have not had cancer themselves, to determine if they should have more intensive screening; and with people who have been identified with a genetic change to discuss how they can best be managed by their healthcare providers. Using my background as an educator, I take the time to explain things clearly.

My research focuses on working with the medical and surgical oncologists at The James to increase the use of cutting-edge therapies for individuals with a genetic susceptibility to cancer.

My roles have included an extensive list of leadership positions here at Ohio State and on a national level. I served as associate dean for The Ohio State University College of Medicine in medical education administration for 12 years with responsibilities for curriculum revision and administration of the preclinical portion of the medical student curriculum. I currently serve as assistant dean for foundational sciences. In 2008, I became the clinical director of Ohio State’s Division of Human Genetics and am now the physician lead for our cancer genetics group. I play a national role in physician education as a member of the National Board of Medical Examiners and serve on the management committee responsible for all of the United States Medical Licensing Examinations, working to keep the public safe through verification of physician abilities.

I have published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, the New England Journal of Medicine, Science, and Nature Genetics.