Adana A. M. Llanos

Adana A. M. Llanos, PhD, MPH, is a geneticist, cancer and molecular epidemiologist, and global health equity scholar whose research examines how structural, social, environmental, and biological factors shape women’s health and cancer outcomes.

She is a tenured associate professor of epidemiology at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health and co-leader of the Cancer Population Science Research Program at the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Her work focuses particularly on breast and cervical cancer inequities among historically underserved populations in the United States and globally.

Dr. Llanos’s research has advanced understanding of how chronic stress, neighborhood conditions, adiposity-related biological pathways, and environmental exposures contribute to cancer risk and disparities. A growing area of her work investigates the health effects of endocrine-disrupting chemicals and carcinogens found in personal care products, including hair products.

She is also a dedicated educator, mentor, and community partner who collaborates with nonprofit organizations to promote accessible health information, advocacy, prevention, and survivorship. Through her research and service, she is committed to empowering people to make informed decisions about their bodies and health while advancing a more equitable future in which all people have the opportunity to thrive.

I am honored to work with Our Bodies Ourselves because its mission closely reflects my own commitment to ensuring that people have access to trustworthy, inclusive information that helps them make informed decisions about their bodies and health. My work in cancer prevention and control is especially focused on understanding how social conditions, environmental exposures, and inequities shape cancer risk and outcomes, and on translating that knowledge into more equitable opportunities for prevention, early detection, and survivorship.