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www.cityofhope.org
Meet the Panelists
Lindsey S. Treviño
Lindsey S. Treviño, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Health Equities and the Department of Population Sciences. Dr. Treviño graduated magna cum laude from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, TX and received her doctorate in Reproductive Physiology from Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. Her dissertation research focused on the role of steroid hormone receptor signaling in the development and/or progression of ovarian cancer in the hen (the only spontaneous animal model of the disease) and was supported by an F31 Predoctoral Fellowship from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Dr. Treviño continued her postgraduate training at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, TX, where she investigated the regulation of progesterone receptor activity by cell signaling pathways in breast cancer cells, with support from an F32 Postdoctoral Fellowship from NIGMS. She received additional postdoctoral training at the Institute of Biosciences and Technology of Texas A&M University, where she examined the molecular basis of how developmental exposure to the endocrine disruptor bisphenol A (BPA) reprograms the liver epigenome to alter liver metabolism in adulthood in a rat model. She continued this line of research as an Instructor at Baylor College of Medicine before joining City of Hope.
Dr. Treviño has been the recipient of numerous honors and awards, including selection as a Future Leaders Advancing Research in Endocrinology (FLARE) Fellow, a Keystone Symposia Fellow, a National Institutes of Health Future Research Leader, a Rising Endocrine Disruptor Research Star, and as a recipient of the Young Investigator Award sponsored by the Women in Endocrinology. She previously served on the Committee on Diversity and Inclusion (CODI), the Research Affairs Core Committee (RACC) and the Governance Task Force of the Endocrine Society. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Endocrine Society.
Dr. Treviño’s research is focused on understanding the molecular basis by which environmental exposures (e.g. endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs)) promote the development and/or progression of hormone-dependent cancers, including breast and ovarian cancer. Understanding these molecular mechanisms may provide potential prevention strategies through community outreach/education and advocacy for policies that protect communities of color, as well as provide therapeutic targets for precision medicine approaches in high-risk populations.
Leanne Burnham
Dr. Leanne Burnham is a translational scientist within the City of Hope Division of Health Equities whose research focuses on prostate cancer in Black men. She obtained her B.S. in Biology at The University of Akron, and her initial clinical experience at the Minority Men’s Health Clinic within Cleveland Clinic Department of Urology provided insight into how this disease affects Black men most aggressively. During her studies, her father was unexpectedly diagnosed with prostate cancer, and this new reality shaped her career plans. Dr. Burnham subsequently obtained her Ph.D. in Physiology from Loma Linda University School of Medicine. Her thesis explored the role of psychosocial stress and glucocorticoid signaling in Black men with this disease. While there, she also executed large-scale community-based health fairs specifically engaging Black men. Dr. Burnham brought her passion and skill set to City of Hope in 2018. Since joining Dr. Rick Kittles’ multidisciplinary research team as a postdoctoral fellow, she has helped spearhead multiple health fairs offering free prostate cancer screening and education to men from diverse communities. In the clinic, Dr. Burnham is most passionate about cultivating physician-to-scientist collaborations in an effort to advance breakthroughs in prostate cancer clinical trials designed to benefit Black men. Her commitment to this cause is unwavering as men in her family continue to be diagnosed at various stages of the disease. Incidentally, she is a blood cancer survivor herself and believes that her own experiences as a patient provide a unique perspective on patient care, treatment options, and survivorship. Dr. Burnham resides in Ontario, CA and most enjoys spending time with her husband and 3 children.
Dede K. Teteh
Dede K. Teteh, Dr.P.H. is a public health professional with a wide breadth of experience across academia, research, policy development, and strategic communications. She brings a deep knowledge of the public health sector—spanning both individual and community health—as well as a teaching and research-based background. Through her work in community advocacy and prevention, as well as several roles at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, she has cultivated an interest in sustainable public health infrastructure and building healthier communities, particularly in underserved populations.
With both a Master of Public Health in Health Education & Promotion (Morehouse School of Medicine, 2011), Doctor of Public Health in Health Education (Loma Linda University, 2017), and two adjunct professorship roles, she has first-hand experience in community and population-based research along with exceptional research communication skills.
Dr. Teteh is currently a postdoctoral fellow in the Division of Health Equities, Department of Population Sciences at City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer. Her areas of study include endocrine-disrupting chemical exposures and breast cancer risk, cervical cancer prevention with particular focus on Black women; cultural beliefs and practices, religion/spirituality and healthcare utilization. As a social epidemiologist, she uses community-based participatory approaches to address health disparities in the most vulnerable populations.
Dr. Teteh has been a recipient of numerous honors and awards, including selection as a Bill & Melinda Gates scholar, a National Cancer Institute-Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities, Scholar-in-training awardee, and the recipient of the Glen Blix award for excellence in preventive care. She also serves on the board of directors for the American Cancer Society (ACS), and is a legislative ambassador for the ACS’s Cancer Action Network.
Veronica Jones, M.D.
Assistant Clinical Professor, Breast Surge
Veronica Jones, M.D., is an assistant clinical professor in the Department of Surgery, specializing in breast surgery, at City of Hope in Duarte, CA. She joined City of Hope from Emory University in Atlanta, GA, where she was an assistant professor in the Department of Surgery.
Dr. Jones earned her undergraduate degree with honors from Stanford University before receiving her medical doctorate with honors from Meharry Medical College in Nashville, TN. While in medical school, she was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) National Medical Honor Society, and traveled to Kenya to complete clerkships in HIV/AIDS and reproductive health. Dr. Jones continued her postdoctoral training at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, TX, with a categorical general surgery internship and residency. At Baylor, Dr. Jones was honored as chief resident of the year. In 2014, she completed a breast surgical oncology fellowship at Emory University.
Board-certified in surgery, Dr. Jones is the recipient of several honors and awards including the American Society of Clinical Oncology Resident Travel Award, the Matthew Walker Surgical Society Award, and the Rebecca M. Lee Scholarship Award. She holds active memberships with several professional societies and is heavily involved in community outreach, speaking frequently at numerous events across Southern California. Dr. Jones has frequently been invited to present her work locally and nationally.
The focus of her research is addressing racial disparities in breast cancer outcomes. In particular, she focuses on breast cancers that are aggressive within the African American and Hispanic communities in an effort to develop drugs that work better than the current standard therapies in these populations. She also partners with universities in the surrounding area to develop devices that treat breast cancer in a minimally invasive way.