Adana Llanos, PhD, MPH
- Associate Professor of Epidemiology
Overview
Dr. Llanos has established a multidisciplinary research program that has three broad objectives: (1) to evaluate and understand molecular and sociobiologic/biosocial/biopsychosocial mechanisms that underlie cancer inequities; (2) to apply this knowledge to improve cancer survival outcomes among populations with a disproportionately high cancer burden; and (3) to evaluate the contributions of chemical exposures from personal care products on risk and outcomes of hormone-related conditions, including breast cancer, and develop evidence-based interventions to mitigate these risks. In recognition of her impactful, innovative research, Dr. Llanos has received numerous awards and honors, including a Buckeyes under 40 Award (2016, The Ohio State University Black Alumni Society), Minority Faculty Scholar Award (2018, American Association for Cancer Research), Excellence in Research Award (2018, New Jersey Health Foundation), an Emerging Scholar Award (2021, Diverse: Issues in Higher Education), an Emerging Leader Award (2023, Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center), and a CURE Shining Star Award from the Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities at the National Cancer Institute (2023, NCI).
In addition to her academic research, scholarship, teaching, and mentoring, Dr. Llanos is actively involved in service to the field and the university, as well as through engagement with non-profit organizations whose mission includes providing timely public health advocacy, education, outreach, and cancer survivorship support, particularly organizations serving racial and ethnic minority and medically underserved communities.
Academic Appointments
- Associate Professor of Epidemiology
Administrative Titles
- Co-Leader, Cancer Population Science (CPS) Program, Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center
Gender
- Female
Credentials & Experience
Education & Training
- BS, 2004 Howard University
- PhD, 2009 Howard University
- MPH, 2013 Ohio State University
- Fellowship: 2011 Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University
- Fellowship: 2013 Ohio State Comprehensive Cancer Center
Committees, Societies, Councils
Standing Member, Cancer and Hematologic Disorders (CHD) Study Section, NIH
Chair, Breast Cancer Working Group, African-Caribbean Cancer Consortium (AC3)
Vice Chair, Cancer Forum, American Public Health Association (APHA)
Steering Committee Member, American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Cancer Progress Report 2024
Conference Co-Chair, 17th American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Conference on The Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved
Member, Science Advisory Panel (SAP), Breast Cancer Prevention Partners (BCPP)
Member, Board of Directors, Positive Deposits, Inc.
Editorial Boards
Current Epidemiology Reports
Frontiers in Endocrinology
JCO Precision Oncology
Behavioral Medicine
Honors & Awards
2024: Tow Faculty Leadership Scholar Award, Mailman School of Public Health
2023: CURE Shining Star Award, Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities, National Cancer Institute2023: Emerging Leader Award, Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center
2021: Emerging Scholar Award, Diverse: Issues in Higher Education
2018: Minority Faculty Scholar Award, American Association for Cancer Research
2018: Excellence in Research Award, New Jersey Health Foundation
2017: Excellence in Teaching Award, New Jersey Health Foundation
2016: Buckeyes Under 40 Award, Ohio State University Black Alumni Society
Research
Research Interests
- Cancer
- Chronic disease
- Community Health
- Disparities/Inequalities in Health
- Environmental Health
- Genetics
- Global Health
- Research Design and Methods
- Social determinants of health
- Women's health
Selected Publications
Payne CE, Rockson A, Ashrafi A, McDonald JA, Bethea TN, Barrett ES, Llanos AAM.* Beauty Beware: Associations between Perceptions of Harm and Safer Hair Product-Purchasing Behaviors in a Cross-Sectional Study of Adults Affiliated with a University in the Northeast. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2023;20(23):7129. PMCID: PMC10706836.
Llanos AAM, Ashrafi A, Ghosh N, Tsui J, Lin Y, Fong AJ, Ganesan S, Heckman CJ. Evaluation of Inequities in Cancer Treatment Delay or Discontinuation Following SARS-CoV-2 Infection: Findings from the ASCO Registry. JAMA Netw Open 2023;6(1):e2251165. PMID: 36637818.
Llanos AAM, Fong AJ, Ghosh N, Devine KA, O’Malley D, Paddock LE, Bandera EV, Hudson SV, Evens AM, Manne SL. COVID-19 perceptions, impacts, and experiences among a population-based sample of cancer survivors. J Cancer Surviv. J Cancer Surviv. 2024 Apr;18(2):439-449. Epub 2022 Jul 29. PMCID: PMC9336177.
Plascak JJ, Beyer K, Xu X, Stroup AM, Jacob G, Llanos AAM.* Association Between Residence in Historically Redlined Districts Indicative of Structural Racism and Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Breast Cancer Outcomes. JAMA Netw Open. 2022;5(7):e2220908. PMCID: PMC9270695.
Llanos AAM, Aremu JB, Cheng TD, Cespedes Feliciano EM, Yao S, Lin Y, Omene C, Khoury T, Hong CC, Ambrosone CB, Bandera EV, Demissie K. Greater Body Fatness is Associated with Higher Protein Expression of LEPR in Breast Tumor Tissues: A Cross-Sectional Analysis in the Women’s Circle of Health Study. Front Endocrinol. 2022;13:879164. PMCID: PMC9277012.
Auguste A, Gathere A, Pinheiro PS, Adebamowo C, Akintola A, Alleyne-Mike K, Anderson SG, Ashing K, Awittor FK, Awuah B, Bhakkan B, Deloumeaux J, Duplesis M, Ekanem IA, Ekanem U, Ezeome E, Felix N, Gachii AK, Gaete S, Gibson T, Hage R, Harrison S, Igbinoba F, Iseh K, Kiptanui E, Korir A, Lawson-Myers H, Llanos A, Luce D, McNaughton D, Odutola M, Omonisi A, Otu T, Peruvien J, Raheem N, Roach V, Sobers N, Uamburu N, Ragin C. Heterogeneity in head and neck Cancer incidence among black populations from Africa, the Caribbean and the USA: Analysis of Cancer registry data by the AC3. Cancer Epidemiol 2021;75:102053. PMCID: PMC8627451.
Qin B, Babel RA, Plascak JJ, Lin Y, Stroup AM, Goldman N, Ambrosone CB, Hong CC, Bandera EV, Llanos AAM.* Neighborhood social environment factors and breast cancer subtypes among Black women. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2021;30(2):344-350. PMCID: PMC7867587.
Xing CY, Doose M, Qin B, Lin Y, Carson TL, Plascak JJ, Demissie K, Hong C, Bandera EV, Llanos AAM.* Pre-diagnostic allostatic load and health-related quality of life in a cohort of Black breast cancer survivors. Breast Cancer Res Treat 2020;184(3): 901-914. PMID: 32914357.
Xing CY, Doose M, Qin B, Lin Y, Plascak JJ, Omene C, He C, Demissie K, Hong CC, Bandera EV, Llanos AAM.* Pre-diagnostic allostatic load as a predictor of poorly differentiated and larger sized breast cancers among Black women in the Women’s Circle of Health Follow-Up Study. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2020;29(1):216-224. PMCID: PMC6954339.
Global Health Activities
African-Caribbean Cancer Consortium (AC3) - https://ac3online.org/about-ac3
Selected project developed with AC3 colleagues
Personal Care and Hair Product Use among Women in Kenya: Assessment of Knowledge, Attitudes, and Perceptions of Use in the Context of Breast Cancer Risk (Pilot award funded by Columbia ICAP-HICCC Initiative)
The primary goal of this study is to collect preliminary, baseline data on personal care product (PCP) and hair product use and perceptions of use among women in Kenya to support larger external grant proposals to investigate the contribution of chemical exposures from PCPs to breast cancer risk. New knowledge about the specific products that are used among women in Kenya and the toxic chemicals in these products could provide opportunities for identifying products to which exposures should be reduced or eliminated through behavioral interventions. Our study findings will also potentially justify the need to enhance the regulation of harmful PCPs in Kenya and elsewhere.