Folakemi T. Odedina, PhD.
Program Director and Principal Investigator
Dr. Odedina is Professor of Pharmaceutical Outcomes & Policy, and Radiation Oncology. She is also the Associate Director of Health Disparities for the UF Shands Cancer Center. Her research program focuses on the predictors of health disparities and cost-effective, community-based behavioral interventions to improve the health of minority populations. She has directed over 30 research projects, including the Department of Defense award – FAMU Center for Minority Prostate Cancer Training and Research (CMPC), which comprises a trans-disciplinary team of clinical, behavioral and basic scientists. In 2009, Dr. Odedina’s leadership in health disparities was recognized by the American Society of Health-Systems Pharmacy (ASHP) and the Association of Black Health-System Pharmacists (ABHP) when she was awarded the Inaugural (1st) Leadership Award for Health Disparities. In 2011, she was elected as the North America Vice President for the African Organization for Research and Training in Cancer (AORTIC). Dr. Odedina has a global consortium focused on understanding the burden of prostate cancer disparities in Black men of West African ancestry, and developing tailored and targeted community-centered interventions to eliminate prostate cancer disparities among US Black men. In addition to her research accomplishments, Dr. Odedina has mentored numerous faculty, research associates, graduate students and professional students at West Virginia University (WVU), Florida A&M University and University of Florida. She has also trained over twenty Masters’ students, ten Doctoral (Ph.D.) students, and taught over 3,000 Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) students at UF, WVU and FAMU.
Merry-Jennifer Markham, M.D.
Co-Principal Investigator
Dr. Markham is a clinical investigator and educator with a focus on gynecologic malignancies and lymphoproliferative disorders. She is board certified in Medical Oncology, Hematology, and Internal Medicine. She is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the American Society of Hematology (ASH), the American College of Physicians (ACP), the Society of Gynecologic Oncology (SGO), and numerous clinical trial cooperative groups.
Debra Lyon, PhD, RN, FNP-BC, FNAP, FAAN
Co-Principal Investigator
Dr. Lyon is Executive Associate Dean and the Thomas M. and Irene B. Kirbo endowed chair in the College of Nursing. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, and serves as the co-chair of the genetic nursing and health care expert panel. Dr. Lyon has over 80 publications and is PI on two National Institute of Health-funded grants. Her research focuses on symptom management in women with breast cancer. She also is a member of the Planning and Evaluation Core of the CaRE^2 Health Equity Center at the University of Florida.