Gretchen Gierach Appointed Chief of Integrative Tumor Epidemiology Branch
Gretchen Gierach, Ph.D, M.P.H.
Gretchen Gierach, Ph.D., M.P.H., was appointed as Chief of the Integrative Tumor Epidemiology Branch (ITEB) in January 2021. Prior to this appointment, Dr. Gierach served as Deputy Chief the branch since 2018.
Dr. Gierach is an expert in the etiology of hormonally-related female malignancies, in particular breast cancer. Her interdisciplinary research program has a special emphasis on the molecular epidemiology of mammographic density, one of the strongest risk factors of breast cancer. Dr. Gierach employs a range of technologies and approaches to improve the measurement of breast density, delineate risk factors for elevated density, and understand mechanisms that mediate its relationship to breast cancer risk and progression. To study the natural history of hormonal carcinogenesis, she conducts integrative epidemiologic studies that incorporate histologic and radiologic measures of breast tissue composition.
She joined DCEG as a Cancer Prevention Fellow from 2006-2009, was promoted to tenure-track investigator in 2010, and was awarded scientific tenure by the NIH in 2017.
Dr. Gierach replaces Montserrat Garcia-Closas, M.D., Dr.P.H., who has served as Acting Chief since the branch’s inception.