Description:

Please join the Robert J. Havey, MD, Institute for Global Health for our IGH Seminar Series! The IGH Seminar Series is held monthly, September through July, and features the research and ideas of outstanding global health leaders at Feinberg, the larger Northwestern community, and beyond.

"Improve Liver Health through Interdisciplinary and Innovative Research"

Our speaker for October is:
Xuehong Zhang, MBBS, MS, ScD  
Associate Professor  
Harvard Medical School and Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health  
Epidemiologist (Lead Investigator)  
Brigham and Women's Hospital 

About the presentation: 
In this talk, Dr. Zhang will introduce some research findings on liver cancer and liver diseases. Unlike many other cancers, liver cancer incidence had tripled in the United States, coupled with a median survival of less than one year. Hence, identification of modifiable risk factors to prevent the development of liver cancer as well as early detection are some key priorities to reduce liver cancer morbidity and mortality. In this talk, Dr. Zhang will share some research work on diet, lifestyle, environmental toxins, early detection, health disparity, and global prevention. This findings have the potential to inform new strategies to reduce the burden of liver disease and liver cancer burden in the U.S. and worldwide. 

About the speaker: 
Dr. Zhang is a cancer epidemiologist with training in clinical medicine and nutrition. Dr. Zhang’s program of research and scholarships has focused on cancer research, health equity, and global health, as well as advancing clinical care quality. He has over 15 years of experience in development, design, and implementation as well as statistical analyses of clinical, epidemiological and community-based cohort studies and international consortia. His multidisciplinary and translational research features innovative integration of epidemiology, lifestyle, nutrition, obesity, environmental factors, -omics, and basic science. His research leverages resources and collaborations at local, national and international levels, and has far-reaching impacts on research and policy initiatives on cancer prevention, global health and promoting health equity. As a well-funded researcher, he currently serves as the Principal Investigator of >10 research grants including the NIH MERIT Award R01/R37, two U01s, two R21s and the American Cancer Society Interdisciplinary Team Award. He is the author of >200 original research manuscripts (>30 senior author publications) and book chapters. He serves as a reviewer for NIH/NCI study sections, and the American Cancer Society Review Committee, and has been invited to present research at numerous national and international events. He is passionate about education and mentoring and has trained >30 early-career researchers and taught at Harvard and other institutions. 

For more information on the Havey Institute for Global Health, check out the website:
https://www.globalhealth.northwestern.edu