Director, Center for Cancer Prevention- Faculty (Division of Cancer Prevention and Control)

Job Title: Director, Center for Cancer Prevention- Faculty (Division of Cancer Prevention and Control)

Department: Medicine | IM Cancer Prevention and Control

Tenure faculty (regardless of rank) - persons with the titles of professor, associate professor, assistant professor and instructor who serve on appointments totaling 50% or more service to the university and who are eligible for tenure or who have obtained tenure. Duties and responsibilities are assigned in accordance with the workload guidelines laid out in the pattern of administration of each faculty member’s tenure initiation unit (TIU) and, as appropriate, regional campus; obligations will include research, service and/or teaching or clinical practice. These faculty will have earned doctorate or other terminal degree in the relevant field of study or possession of equivalent experience.

Additional Information

Director, Center for Cancer Prevention- Faculty (Division of Cancer Prevention and Control)

The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute is establishing a new Center for Cancer Prevention dedicated to advancing innovative research, education, implementation, and community-based interventions focused on reducing cancer incidence and cancer-related disparities across Ohio and beyond.

As one of the nation's premier comprehensive cancer centers, Ohio State has a longstanding commitment to understanding the causes of cancer and developing evidence-based strategies that prevent cancer before it occurs.

Through expertise in epidemiology, behavioral science, genomics, implementation science, cancer screening, health policy, environmental health, community engagement, and population health, Ohio State is uniquely positioned to become a national leader in cancer prevention research and practice.

The new Center for Cancer Prevention will serve as a multidisciplinary hub that brings together researchers, clinicians, public health professionals, community organizations, government agencies, healthcare systems, and industry partners to accelerate the discovery, translation, implementation, and dissemination of cancer prevention strategies.

Center Focus Areas

• Primary prevention
• Cancer risk reduction
• Behavioral and lifestyle interventions
• Nutrition and physical activity
• Obesity and metabolic health
• Environmental and occupational exposures
• Vaccination and infection-related cancers
• Genetic and familial cancer risk
• Precision prevention
• Risk prediction and stratification
• Screening and early detection
• Rural health and underserved populations
• Health disparities and health equity
• Community-engaged prevention research
• Policy and systems-level prevention strategies
• Dissemination and implementation science

The Center will support the mission of reducing the burden of cancer through scientific discovery, innovation, collaboration, and evidence-based public health action while addressing the unique needs of Ohio's urban, rural, and Appalachian populations.

The Division of Cancer Prevention and Control invites applications for the inaugural Director of the Center for Cancer Prevention.

The Director will be a nationally or internationally recognized leader whose scholarship, funding, and scientific leadership have significantly advanced the field of cancer prevention, cancer control, or population health.

The Director will lead the development and implementation of a bold vision for the new Center and establish Ohio State as a national destination for cancer prevention research, training, policy, and community impact.

Working collaboratively with institutional leadership, faculty investigators, healthcare leaders, government agencies, public health organizations, industry partners, and community stakeholders, the Director will create a dynamic and innovative research environment dedicated to reducing cancer incidence and improving population health outcomes.

The successful candidate will maintain an active and internationally recognized research program while providing leadership for all aspects of Center development, including strategic planning, faculty engagement, scientific programming, community partnerships, training initiatives, resource development, and fundraising.

Primary Responsibilities

• Scientific Leadership: Develop and lead a comprehensive scientific agenda that advances the understanding, prevention, and early detection of cancer across populations and healthcare settings.
• Center Development and Administration: Establish the organizational infrastructure, governance, strategic priorities, and operational framework necessary for a nationally prominent research center.
• Research Innovation and Growth: Foster a highly collaborative scientific environment that supports groundbreaking research, large-scale funding initiatives, and interdisciplinary partnerships.
• Community Engagement and Public Health Impact: Build strong partnerships with communities, health systems, public health agencies, policymakers, and advocacy organizations to translate research into meaningful reductions in cancer burden.

Required Qualifications

• PhD, MD, DO, DrPH, PharmD, DNP, PsyD, or other terminal degree in a discipline relevant to cancer prevention.
• Eligible for appointment as a tenured Professor within the College of Medicine.
• Nationally recognized record of research excellence in cancer prevention, cancer control, epidemiology, behavioral science, public health, implementation science, risk reduction, or a related field.
• Demonstrated record of sustained extramural funding.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary scientific initiatives.
• Outstanding record of peer-reviewed publications and scholarly achievement.
• Experience mentoring faculty, fellows, postdoctoral scholars, and students.
• Strong leadership, communication, and relationship-building skills.

Desired Qualifications

• Internationally recognized leader in cancer prevention research.
• Experience establishing or directing a research center, institute, consortium, program, or large collaborative network.
• Track record of leading major NIH, NCI, CDC, PCORI, ACS, CPRIT, foundation, or multinational research initiatives.
• Expertise in one or more areas including:
  • Cancer epidemiology
  • Precision prevention
  • Behavioral intervention science
  • Tobacco control
  • Obesity and metabolism
  • Screening and early detection
  • Vaccination and infection-related cancers
  • Health disparities
  • Environmental health
  • Community-engaged research
  • Implementation science
  • Population health
  • Experience influencing public health policy or healthcare delivery systems
• Demonstrated success recruiting and developing high-performing scientific teams.
• Experience securing philanthropic investments and strategic partnerships.

Faculty Categories

Faculty Defined Clinical faculty (regardless of rank) - Persons with titles of assistant professor-clinical, associate professor-clinical and professor-clinical. These faculty will have earned a Doctor of Medicine (MD), Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO), doctorate (PhD) or other terminal degree in the relevant field. Clinical faculty members are not eligible for tenure and are appointed for terms of three to five years. They may be reappointed to successive terms. Their principal career focus is the delivery of exemplary clinical care, and may include teaching, and/or research.

Tenure-Track faculty (regardless of rank) - Persons with the titles of assistant professor, associate professor, or professor who are eligible for tenure or who have obtained tenure. These faculty will have earned a doctorate (PhD), Doctor of Medicine (MD), Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) or other terminal degree in the relevant field of study. Their primary career focus centers on research, service, and teaching. Tenure-track faculty with MD, DO or MD/PhD degrees may also be involved in clinical care.

Research Faculty (regardless of rank) - Persons with the titles of research assistant professor, research associate professor, or research professor. These faculty will have earned a doctorate (PhD) or other terminal degree in the relevant field of study. Research faculty members are not eligible for tenure and are appointed for terms of one to five years. Their principal career focus is research.

College of Medicine

The Ohio State University College of Medicine, with more than 5,000 learners, is the only academic medical center in central Ohio. Recognized as a Tier 1 school for research in the 2025–2026 U.S. News & World Report “Best Medical Schools” list, it ranks among the top 16 medical schools for research in the nation.

It also remains in Tier 2 for primary care, further demonstrating its strength across the academic spectrum.

Known for its innovative curriculum, cutting-edge research, and excellence in clinical care through The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, the college continues to advance its mission of education, discovery and community impact.

With more than 2,700 faculty across 20 clinical departments, eight basic science departments, and the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Ohio State is shaping the future of academic medicine - locally, nationally and globally.

The Wexner Medical Center

The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center consists of The Ohio State University Health System, the College of Medicine, the Health Sciences Library and the Faculty Group Practice.

The Ohio State Wexner Medical Center is committed to providing world-class care.

At the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center, we're proud to be celebrating our 33rd consecutive year ranked in the U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals list.

This year, the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center has 9 nationally ranked specialties out of 15 and four selected as high performing.

U.S. News & World Report consistently ranks the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center as the top hospital in Columbus.

The Wexner Medical Center is rated as high performing in 17 out of 22 common procedures and conditions, including abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, aortic valve surgery, arrhythmia, COPD, colon cancer surgery, diabetes, gynecological cancer surgery, heart attack, heart failure, kidney failure, leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma, lung cancer surgery, pacemaker implantation, pneumonia, prostate cancer, spinal fusion, and transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Our new hospital tower, opened in February, 2026, is the largest single facilities project ever undertaken at Ohio State. It’s designed to enhance a unified Ohio State Wexner Medical Center campus providing world-class patient care, leading-edge research and outstanding clinical training.

Hospital Tower Features

• 820 large, private rooms to elevate patient-centered care, nearly doubling the number of beds we have today
• Enhanced connections between the new inpatient hospital and the OSUCCC – James
• More than half an acre of terrace space and a quarter acre of green space for a small park
• 148 additional beds for patients of the OSUCCC – James
• 51 neonatal intensive care unit bassinets
• State-of-the-art diagnostic, treatment and inpatient service areas; imaging; operating rooms; and critical care and medical/surgical beds

The University Ohio State is a top-20 public university, and its Ohio State Wexner Medical Center is one of America’s leading academic health centers and recently ranked