Dr. Julie Palmer

Biography

Julie R. Palmer, ScD, MPH, is a cancer epidemiologist based at the Slone Epidemiology Center. Her research spans cancer early detection, etiology, and survivorship, with a focus on elucidating the reasons for the disproportionately high incidence of hormone receptor-negative breast cancer among Black women in the U.S. Dr. Palmer is a founding leader of the Black Women’s Health Study, a prospective cohort study that has followed 59,000 self-identified Black women since 1995. Her research includes work on risk prediction models for breast cancer, investigating differences in childbearing patterns contributing to excess incidence, and studying the interrelationships between type 2 diabetes, obesity, and inflammation concerning breast cancer risk. She has held numerous advisory roles for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and has received various awards, including the AACR Distinguished Lectureship in Science and Cancer Health Disparities in 2017 and being named a Komen Scholar in 2018. As a professor and director at Boston University, she emphasizes diversity, equity, and inclusion within public health and cancer research.

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