I am a demographer and social epidemiologist interested in familial aspects of health, aging and longevity. Currently I am investigating the socio-environmental and genetic origins of slow rates of aging in humans and exceptional longevity in families. The purpose of this study is to determine how overall aging may be a key factor in determing the risks of multiple major causes of disease associated with aging and to identify genes and gene-environment interactions affecting exceptional human longevity.
An important area of interest of mine is on psychosocial and behavioral factors in cancer prevention and control. I have a long-standing interest in genetic testing for adult-onset illnesses (e.g., breast cancer) and how genetic test results may affect the psychosocial well-being and demographic outcomes of families and their members.
I continue to conduct research on the effects of family, community, and socioeconomic factors affecting health outcomes, mortality, and longevity of individuals.