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Timothy R. Rebbeck

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Timothy R. Rebbeck is an American cancer researcher known for his work in cancer genetics, molecular epidemiology, cancer prevention, and global health. He holds the title of Vincent L. Gregory, Jr. Professor of Cancer Prevention at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Rebbeck is the founding director of the Zhu Family Center for Global Cancer Prevention at Harvard and the Center for Global Health Equity at Dana-Farber.

Early Life and Education

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Rebbeck was born and raised in South Dakota. He earned his undergraduate degree from Northwestern University, followed by graduate degrees from the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health and the University of Michigan Medical School. He completed his postdoctoral training at the Institute for Cancer Research at the Fox Chase Cancer Center.

Career

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Rebbeck began his academic career at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, where he served from 1994 to 2015. In 2015, he joined Harvard University and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, where he was appointed the Vincent L. Gregory Professorship in Cancer Prevention. At Harvard, Rebbeck established the Zhu Family Center for Global Cancer Prevention , dedicated to cancer early detection and prevention strategies. At Dana-Farber, he founded the Center for Global Health Equity, which promotes international collaboration and capacity building in cancer research. Dr. Rebbeck has been continuously funded by the National Institutes of Health since 1994.

Academic Career

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Prostate Cancer

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Rebbeck has been a foundational leader for the understanding of prostate cancer etiology, risk, and prevention in Africa [1]. He founded and leads the Men of African Descent and Carcinoma of the Prostate (MADCaP) network, a global initiative across North America and Africa. MADCaP investigates disparities in prostate cancer among men of African ancestry and develops precision medicine approaches to address them. The project is supported by numerous National Institutes of Health grants, including a Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE). His work has been recognized with the Landon Foundation–AACR Innovator Award and a Fulbright Specialist appointment to Africa, where he developed cancer research capacity across a pan-African network.

Cancer Genetics

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Rebbeck has made significant contributions to identifying genetic risk factors for hereditary and sporadic cancers, particularly involving BRCA1 and BRCA2 pathogenic variants. His work has been recognized as foundational to the understanding that variation in mutational location in these genes is associated with different cancer risks[2][3]. He is the co-founder of the African Oncogenetics Network, which aims to expand cancer genetics research and infrastructure across Africa.

Cancer Epidemiology and Disparities

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Dr. Rebbeck has been a leader in the understanding of exposures and risk factors associated with cancer. In particular, he is recognized as an expert in cancer health disparities, including social and biological factors that may explain why some groups experience elevated cancer risks [4][5][6]. He has been an expert voice on the impact of exposures that may be associated with cancer in populations and is frequently called upon to inform the general population about cancer exposures and risks [7] including common exposures such as alcohol [8][9].

Cancer Prevention and Early Detection

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Rebbeck has focused on translating genetic discoveries into actionable cancer prevention strategies. His research has guided current clinical practice for risk assessment and management in high-risk carriers of BRCA1 or BRCA2 pathogenic variants [10] and the development of the concept of precision prevention. Through the Zhu Family Center, he is involved in the International Alliance for Cancer Early Detection (ACED) and supports innovations such as liquid biopsy technologies. He first described the concept of “precision cancer prevention” that is guides prevention approaches based on an individual’s personal cancer risk [11][12].

Cancer Training and Education

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Rebbeck has mentored over 70 trainees at the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard University and directs the program, an NIH-funded initiative that has trained over 100 cancer researchers across Africa. He is also the co-founder of Cancer Fact Finder , a public-facing platform that provides evidence-based cancer information. In his work to develop cancer research capacity in Africa, he led the first World Health Organization initiative that resulted in guidance for cancer research in Africa [13].

Awards and Honors

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Richter Scholar at Northwestern University (1983)

Sigma Xi Research Award (1984)

CaPCURE Prostate Cancer Research Award (1998)

Vivian and Meyer P. Potamkin Foundation Award for Breast Cancer Research (2008)

Nathaniel I. Berlin Lectureship, Northwestern University (2008)

BJS Lectureship, Royal College of Surgeons, London (2009)

American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)–Prostate Net Award for Epidemiological Research Excellence (2009)

NCI Director’s Service Award (2009)

Spirit of Empowerment Award, FORCE (2010)

Landon Foundation–AACR Innovator Award (2011)

Fulbright Specialist to Africa (2011–2016)

Joseph F. Fraumeni, Jr. Distinguished Achievement Award, American Society for Preventive Oncology (2017)

American Society for Clinical Oncology–American Cancer Society Award and Lecture (2020) [14]

Fellow, AACR Academy (2024–present) [15]

AACR–American Cancer Society Award for Research Excellence in Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention (2024) [16]

See Also

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BRCA1 and BRCA2

Cancer Prevention

Cancer Epidemiology

Prostate Cancer

Health Disparities in Cancer

References

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  1. ^ "Looking into the future diagnosis and treatment options for prostate cancer in Africa". 2023-03-30.
  2. ^ Returner, Rachael (April 7, 2015). "Breast Cancer Genes: How Much Risk Do BRCA Mutations Bring?". Live Science. Retrieved September 6, 2025.
  3. ^ Fox, Maggie (April 7, 2015). "All Breast Cancer Mutations Are Not Equal". NBC News. Retrieved September 6, 2025.
  4. ^ "ASCO 2024: Responsible and Equitable Biomarker Stewardship: How Do We Ensure Access to All Patients". urotoday.com. June 4, 2024. Retrieved September 6, 2025.
  5. ^ "Myeloma outcomes and disparities in African Americans". June 5, 2018. Retrieved September 6, 2025.
  6. ^ "Social Determinants of Health in Cancer Care". YouTube. April 2, 2024. Retrieved September 6, 2025.
  7. ^ Longman, Jere (August 14, 2017). "The Brain Cancer That Keeps Killing Baseball Players". The New York Times. Retrieved September 6, 2025.
  8. ^ "Public health messaging about the risks of cancer associated with alcohol consumption". Oncodaily.com. January 6, 2025. Retrieved September 6, 2025.
  9. ^ "Alcohol and Cancer Risk". YouTube. February 9, 2024. Retrieved September 6, 2025.
  10. ^ "Genetic/Familial High Risk Assessment: Breast, Ovarian, Pancreatic and Prostate" (PDF). National Comprehensive Cancer Network. v.1.2026. July 10, 2025.
  11. ^ Drexler, Madeline (October 8, 2019). "The Cancer Miracle Isn't a Cure: It's Prevention". Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health. Retrieved September 6, 2025.
  12. ^ "A Change of Perspective for Cancer?". Cancer Research UK. March 12, 2025. Retrieved September 6, 2025.
  13. ^ Rebbeck, Timothy (2013). Handbook for Cancer Research in Africa (1st ed.). Brazzaville, Congo: World Health Organization. ISBN 978-92-9023-221-6.
  14. ^ "Dr. Timothy Rebbeck Discusses Precision Detection and Prevention of Cancer During ASCO-ACS Award Lecture". America Society of Clinical Oncology. August 9, 2020. Retrieved September 6, 2025.
  15. ^ "AACR Announces 2024 Scientific Achievement Award Recipients". American Association for Cancer Research. February 27, 2024. Retrieved September 6, 2025.
  16. ^ "AACR Announces Newly Elected 2024 Class of Fellows of the AACR Academy". January 12, 2024. Retrieved September 6, 2025.