I am a dual boarded assistant professor of gynecologic oncology and obstetrics and gynecology at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center. I have the expertise, experience, and motivation necessary to participate in continued clinical research. My training as clinician in the field of gynecologic oncology makes me uniquely qualified to conduct clinical research trials that will impact the care of women with gynecologic cancers. My past research includes use of whole genome sequencing platforms to determine mutational burden in ovarian cancers and the role of the fallopian tube in ovarian cancer development. In my subspecialty training as a gynecologic oncology fellow, I have applied developed an interest in the care of women with cervical and uterine cancers and identifying and addressing disparities associated with cancer outcomes. I applied and expanded my specific expertise clinical trial research design by designing, submitting an IIT in endometrial cancer that was awarded the prestigious opportunity to be developed through the ASCO/AACR clinical trial workshop in Vale Co. Through my training in diversity in clinical trials through the Robert A Winn award, the FIERCE IIT was subsequently opened, enrolled, and now is opened at the second site at LSUHSC to improve access of this trial to under-represented minorities.
Since completion of training, I have worked to expand my expertise in the field of health disparities research. Particularly, in the field of uterine cancer and the associated disparities in outcomes for Black women. I am currently involved in the concept development, protocol writing and operationalization and publication of multiple prospective clinical trials through the structured mentorship grants I have received through both the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation and NRG oncology research group. Through these funded pursuits, I have developed a clinical trial research study concept through a health disparities lens to improve equitable and representative enrollment of patients onto clinical cancer research trials. R01 funding, will allow me to successfully open this novel pragmatic health disparity trial in endometrial cancer that will ultimately increase equitable trial participation according to race and ethnicity. Beyond clinical trial design and development, I have gained important experience in the opening and conducting of cancer clinical trials. I have been working with reporting, regulatory, and budget issues that can affect trial feasibility and rely on thoughtful protocol design and the construction of a realistic research plan, timeline, and budget. The current application builds logically on my prior work.
