Dr. Meira Epplein

Biography

Meira Epplein is a cancer epidemiologist specializing in modifiable risk factors in under-served populations. As a Professor in Population Health Sciences at the Duke Cancer Institute, she co-leads the Cancer Risk, Detection, and Interception research program. Epplein's background includes a Ph.D. in epidemiology from the University of Washington, and she has held a tenured faculty position at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Her research focuses on the prevention of infection-associated cancers, particularly those related to Helicobacter pylori, a bacterium that affects half of the global population and is classified as a carcinogenic infectious agent by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Epplein investigates toxigenic forms of H. pylori to identify high-risk populations for targeted antibiotic therapy, demonstrating significant findings in the interaction between dietary factors, aspirin use, and cancer risk. She emphasizes the biological advantages conferred by H. pylori, having co-existing with humans for over 100,000 years. As the principal investigator on four NIH grants, Epplein is dedicated to understanding the diversity of host responses to H. pylori infection and its association with gastrointestinal cancers. Her efforts include initiatives to address H. pylori prevalence in the local community and conducting eradication trials for high-risk individuals.

Research Interests