Faculty

I have significant experience and track record in examining patient-centered outcomes and comparative effectiveness research for prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment. Additionally, I have formal training in health services research through a Master’s in Public Health. Moreover, a Department of Defense Prostate Cancer Research Program Career Development Award funded additional formal instruction as part of the Clinical Effectiveness Program at the Harvard School of Public Health. Currently, I lead a PCORI grant to examine the comparative effectiveness of competing treatments for prostate cancer in Los Angeles and New York State SEER regions. Additionally, I led prospective multi-center NCI R01 and PCORI funded randomized controlled trials on a new approach to prostate biopsy. Therefore, I have experience with 6 randomized trials to evaluate surgical techniques. Moreover, my impact in the field is evident in contributing to USPSTF changing from a D to a C recommendation for PSA screening. I demonstrated in NEJM the significant contamination in the control arm of the Prostate, Colo-rectal, Lung and Ovarian (PLCO) trial, one of the pillars of evidence against screening. In addition, I was to first to demonstrate an increase in the incidence of prostate cancer pelvic lymph node and distant metastasis in JAMA Oncology that followed decreased PSA screening. More recently, we demonstrate in NEJM through modeling that the benefit of PSA screening is more favorable than mammography for breast cancer.