Our Team

Principal Investigator

kala VisvanathanKala Visvanathan, MD, MHS

Professor
Department of Epidemiology and Oncology
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health &
The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center,
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine

Dr. Visvanathan is a Medical Oncologist and Cancer Epidemiologist. She is a Professor in the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and School of Medicine and Director of the Clinical Cancer Genetics and Prevention Service at Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center.

Her research is focused on personalizing early detection, screening and preventive strategies in high-risk women with and without cancer. Some of the areas we are currently conducting studies on include DNA markers in blood and tissue (genetic, epigenetic and telomeres), immune based markers, hormones, inflammation, lifestyle factors and various medications.

She holds the following positions:

Please visit Dr. Visvanathan's biography pages below:

Meet Our Project Staff

The staff are continually working to update the cohort and gather important information.

Their work involves:

  1. Contacting participants every 3 years for updated information
  2. Obtaining and abstracting pathology records for new breast and ovarian procedures and tissue when available
  3. Obtaining and abstracting genetic testing results
  4. Obtaining and abstracting information and requesting tissue on primary tumor recurrence
  5. Obtaining death certificates
  6. Coordinating and conducting studies using BOSS data and samples, and studies that require new samples

Betty May

Sr. Research Program Manager

michelle-mcculloughMichelle McCullough

Research Program Coordinator

Erica SelznickErica Selznick

Research Program Assistant

Past Staff

  • Lingga Adidharma
  • Nada Agabani
  • Rawan Allozi
  • Arnab Bashu
  • Yvette Bodrick
  • Elizabeth Brookman-Icke
  • Alexandra Clay
  • Nilma A Dalal
  • Sarah Davidovics
  • Obi Ezennia
  • Katherine Goth
  • Amy Gross
  • Mikiala Orellana
  • Brenna Hogan
  • Mingh-Huy Huynh
  • Kymeiria Ingram
  • Alpana Kaushiva
  • Kristen Kelley
  • Amanda Lee
  • Andrew Lee
  • Marie Luebke
  • Leslie MacManus
  • David Malawka
  • Anita Mayfield
  • Paula Mouzon
  • Jessica Oidtman
  • Lisa Price
  • Maya Robinson
  • Rebecca Rosen
  • Tyler Ross
  • Deborah Santor
  • Kara Sivel
  • Emily Smith
  • Laalitha Surapaneni
  • Michele Trieb
  • Tiffany Walker-Hill
  • Nicole Williams

Faculty Collaborators

  • CERLAB at Boston Children’s Hospital
  • Deborah Armstrong, MD
    Medical Oncology
    Johns Hopkins School of Medicine/ Kimmel Cancer Center
  • Ashley Cimino-Mathews, MD
    Johns Hopkins School of Medicine/ Surgical Pathology
  • Jed Fahey, ScD
    Johns Hopkins School of Medicine/ Brassica Chemoprotection Laboratory
  • Robert Kurman, MD
    Johns Hopkins School of Medicine/ Gynecologic Pathology
  • Alan Meeker, PhD
    Johns Hopkins School of Medicine/ Pathology
  • Kelly Myers, MD
    Johns Hopkins School of Medicine/Radiology
  • Pamela Ouyang, MD
    Johns Hopkins School of Medicine/ Johns Hopkins Bayview Clinical Research Unit
  • Richard Roden, PhD
    Johns Hopkins School of Medicine/ Pathology/ Kimmel Cancer Center
  • Ie Ming Shih, MD, PhD
    Johns Hopkins School of Medicine/ Gynecologic Pathology
  • Kumar Visvanathan, MD, PhD, FRACP
    University of Melbourne, Australia
  • Tian-Li Wang, PhD
    Johns Hopkins School of Medicine/ Gynecologic Pathology
  • Johns Hopkins Biological Repository (JHBR) Lab, Bloomberg School of Public Health
  • Johns Hopkins Institute of Clinical and Translational Research (ICTR)
  • Johns Hopkins Breast and Ovarian Program

Other Collaborators

Students and Post Doc Fellows (Former and Current)

  • Wenji Guo
  • Zhengi Deng
  • Pritesh Karia
  • Marcy Schaeffer
  • Cody Ramin
  • Amy Gross
  • Sarah (Israel) Davidovics

Funding Support

We are very appreciative for the funding that the BOSS Cohort Study has received and continues to receive from various organizations. These funds have supported the development of the cohort, the ongoing participant follow-up, the conduct of new breast and/or research studies as well as the collection of additional specimens and data.

  • Avon Foundation
  • Breast Cancer Research Foundation
  • Department of Defense
  • ICTR/ NIH CTSA (Clinical Translational Science Award)
  • Fetting Fund for Breast Cancer Prevention
  • Maryland Cigarette Restitution Fund
  • Memorial funds in memory of Martha Machetti
  • National Cancer Institute
  • Safeway Funds
  • Susan G. Komen for the Cure

Contact Us

Questions

If you have any questions about the Johns Hopkins Breast and Ovarian Cancer High-Risk Cohort please call us at (443) 287-6144 or email us using the form.

Changes or Updates to your Information

It is important for us to have your current information, including your family’s cancer history and your contact information.
If you have had any recent changes, please call us at (443) 287-6144 or email us using the form.
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Johns Hopkins BOSS Study
615 North Wolfe Street, Room E6004
Baltimore, MD 21205
Telephone: (443) 287-6144
Fax: (443) 287-6143

Contact Form