Dr. Terry Hyslop Joins SKCC as Cancer Risk and Control Program Co-leader and Center for Health Equity Director

Jefferson Health’s Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center welcomes transdisciplinary population health researcher Terry Hyslop, PhD, as Co-leader of the Cancer Risk and Control Program.

Hyslop is returning to SKCC from the Duke Cancer Institute, where she served as Professor of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics for the past eight years. Previously, she was Director of the Biostatistics Division at Jefferson.

“I am ecstatic that Dr. Terry Hyslop will rejoin the cancer center as the Co-Leader of the Cancer Risk and Control Program. She is known for her expertise focused on disparities and health equity in cancer, which will enhance the depth and breadth of SKCC and create unique opportunities to strengthen our consortium relationship [with Drexel University] as well as broaden our mentorship capabilities,” said Andrew Chapman, DO, SKCC Director and EVP of Oncology Services at Jefferson Health.

During her tenure at Duke, Hyslop led many projects and brings two new projects to SKCC. In the first project, Hyslop is partnering with Dr. Melissa Troester, Principal Investigator of the Carolina Breast Cancer Study, which is based at the University of North Carolina. They will develop a modeling framework that links immune signaling and social and environmental determinants of health in a study of metastatic breast cancer, which is funded by the Komen Foundation.

In a National Cancer Institute-funded study, Hyslop is working with Duke epidemiologist Dr. Meira Epplein to develop a “cells to society” model of disparities in gastric cancer and the role of H. pylori and other co-infections.

“The recruitment of Dr. Hyslop back to SKCC remarkably amplifies our already formidable strengths in cancer prevention and control in the Jefferson catchment area. Moreover, she brings the extra-added dimension of focusing on determinants of cancer disparities and their associated health equities, which are central to improving the lives of patients in our community,” said Scott Waldman, MD, PhD, Chair, Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology.

In addition to her role as Co-leader of the Cancer Risk and Control Program, Hyslop will lead the newly formed SKCC Center for Health Equity.

“This center will look to address the needs of our catchment area and span the cancer continuum with a focus on prevention to survivorship, incorporating studies of obesity, cardiovascular and metabolic health, aging, smoking, and other risk behaviors, HPV prevention, and many others,” Hyslop said.

“In particular, we will focus on the structural inequities across the social, environmental, economic, and cultural determinants of health that lead to disparities in outcomes. This will bring together efforts across our consortium with Drexel University to make an impact on Philadelphia.”

Hyslop received her doctoral degree from Temple University. Among her awards and honors is a fellowship in the American Statistical Association.