Sarah Jackson Appointed Earl Stadtman Investigator in IIB
, by Elise Tookmanian, Ph.D.
In July 2023, Sarah S. Jackson, Ph.D., M.P.H., (she/her), was appointed as an Earl Stadtman tenure-track investigator in the Infections and Immunoepidemiology Branch (IIB). Dr. Jackson is an expert in the study of sex differences in cancer and cancer risk, screening, and outcomes. Additionally, she was selected for the competitive NIH Distinguished Scholars Program, a cohort of investigators who have a commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion in the biomedical research workforce.
Sex Differences in Cancer
Men are two to three times more likely than women to develop most non-sex-specific cancers. This phenomenon has largely been attributed to differences in lifestyle/behavioral risk factors, e.g., men are more likely to smoke. Dr. Jackson has developed a research program to further explore the contributions of intrinsic biological factors in cancer risk. She has established collaborations within IIB to explore sex-driven variations in immunity and immune-related malignancies, namely, the Transplant Cancer Match Study and HIV/AIDS Cancer Match Study, with Eric A. Engels, M.D., M.P.H., senior investigator and IIB Branch Director.
In collaboration with Jill Koshiol, Ph.D., IIB senior investigator, Dr. Jackson will analyze direct measurements of sex hormones to further understand the etiology of gallbladder cancer—more common in women—and look for potential treatment targets for this highly-fatal malignancy.
Dr. Jackson earned her Ph.D. in epidemiology at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, where she did her doctoral research on risk prediction models for healthcare-associated infections. Prior to joining DCEG, she worked in vaccine clinical trials at The EMMES Corporation and with the AIDS Clinical Trials Group at Social & Scientific Systems. Dr. Jackson joined IIB in 2018 as a postdoctoral fellow. In 2021, she was inducted into the NIH Independent Research Scholar Program and promoted to research fellow. She has received numerous awards for her work, including the NCI Director’s Intramural Innovation Award, the William G. Coleman Minority Health and Health Disparities Research Award, and the NCI Director’s Award of Merit for leading diversity initiatives in the division.