Newswise — The American Association for Cancer Research announces the appointment of Timothy Rebbeck, Ph.D., of the University of Pennsylvania, as the Editor-in-Chief of its highly reputed oncology journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. At the University of Pennsylvania, Rebbeck is the director of both the Center for Genetics and Complex Traits and the Center for Population and Health Disparities. He is also the Associate Director for Population Science at the Abramson Cancer Center and professor of epidemiology.

Rebbeck will succeed Co-Editors-in-Chief John D. Potter, M.D., Ph.D., and David Alberts, M.D., and will commence his editorship effective immediately. During Potter and Alberts' term, Rebbeck served as a senior editor for Genetic Epidemiology.

"On behalf of all the members of the AACR and the cancer research community at large, I would like to express our deep appreciation to Dr. Rebbeck for accepting this very important post," said AACR CEO Margaret Foti, Ph.D., M.D. (h.c.). "Dr. Rebbeck is a world-renowned scientist and epidemiologist, lauded for his extraordinary accomplishments in molecular and genetic epidemiology of common cancers."

"Clearly he is the ideal individual to be the editor-in-chief of this important peer-reviewed journal, which is devoted to the publication of the most important studies in cancer causation, mechanisms of carcinogenesis, prevention and survivorship," Foti said.

"We look forward to working with Dr. Rebbeck to bring the findings published in this journal rapidly to the benefit of cancer patients around the world."

Rebbeck recently published groundbreaking research on the role of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes in breast cancer. Many women carry the BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations, but the information about the level of risk associated with these mutations has not been sufficient for accurate risk estimation and cancer prevention. Rebbeck and colleagues have made seminal contributions about the use of risk reducing ovarian and breast surgeries and other clinical risk management issues in BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers.

Rebbeck's research at the University of Pennsylvania also focuses on studies of breast, prostate and skin cancers. The goal of this research is to identify genes involved in the etiology of these cancers, and to identify interactions of these genes with endogenous or exogenous exposures. Rebbeck directs a laboratory for molecular epidemiology, which is geared toward the generation of molecular biomarker data for family and epidemiology studies.

His early pioneering work in breast, endometrial, and prostate cancer identified a variety of hormone metabolism genes that had direct responsibility for more aggressive tumors than in those without these mutations. He has also published on the interaction of hormone metabolism genes and hormone exposures in breast and endometrial cancer, providing possible explanations for the high risk of these cancers among women who use hormone replacement therapy.

Rebbeck earned his bachelor's degree from Northwestern University and his doctorate in genetics from The University of Michigan. He also holds an A.M. in statistics from the University of Michigan and an Sc.M. in epidemiology from the Johns Hopkins University. In 1998, Rebbeck was the recipient of the prestigious Prostate Cancer Research Award from the Association for the Cure of Cancer of the Prostate. Throughout his career, Rebbeck has received many honors, including the Sigma Xi research award (1984); the Hispanic, Asian and Native American (HANA) Fellowship (1990); and the National Cancer Institute Cancer Prevention and Control Research Fellowship (1992-1993), and the Potamkin award for breast cancer research (2008). Further, he has served on many committees of the AACR, and co-chaired the AACR's first Science of Cancer Health Disparities Conference in Atlanta in 2007.

In addition to Rebbeck, the AACR has made the following appointments. Thomas A. Sellers, Ph.D., and Electra D. Paskett, Ph.D., will serve as Deputy Editors. Senior editors include: Melissa L. Bondy, Ph.D.; Louise A. Brinton, Ph.D., M.P.H.; Adele Green, Ph.D.; Julie Ross, Ph.D.; Neil E. Caporaso, M.D.; Montserrat Garcia-Closas, M.D., Dr.P.H.; Ellen Kampman, Ph.D.; Elaine A. Ostrander, Ph.D.; Qingyi Wei, M.D., Ph.D.; John S. Witte, Ph.D.; Alan R. Kristal, D.P.H., M.P.H., M.S.; Johanna W. Lampe, Ph.D.; Sholom Wacholder, Ph.D.; Dean E. Brenner, M.D.; Emanuel F. Petricoin III, Ph.D.; Jimmie B. Vaught, Ph.D.; Timothy Byers, M.D., M.P.H.; Daniel W. Chan, Ph.D.; Ellen R. Gritz, Ph.D.; Sally W. Vernon, Ph.D.; Leslie L. Robison, Ph.D.; Maria Elena Martinez, Ph.D., M.P.H.; Peter G. Shields, M.D.

Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention publishes original, peer reviewed research on cancer causation, mechanisms of carcinogenesis, prevention and survivorship. Topics include descriptive, analytical, biochemical and molecular epidemiology; the use of biomarkers to study the neoplastic and preneoplastic processes in humans; chemoprevention and other types of prevention trials; and the role of behavioral factors in cancer etiology and prevention.

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, AACR is the world's oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes more than 28,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and 80 other countries. AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 17,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. AACR publishes five major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; and Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. Its most recent publication and its sixth major journal, Cancer Prevention Research, is dedicated exclusively to cancer prevention, from preclinical research to clinical trials. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists. CR provides a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

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