Lorna McNeill

Lorna H. McNeill, PhD, MPH, is a Professor and Chair in the Department of Health Disparities Research at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.13 She has been serving as Department Chair since 2017 and was promoted to Full Professor in September 2019.1

Dr. McNeill's research focuses on eliminating cancer-related health disparities in minority populations, with an emphasis on understanding the influence of social contextual determinants of cancer.23 She has a particular interest in the role of physical activity as a preventive behavior and obesity as a major cancer determinant.2

Her educational background includes:

• PhD in Public Health Studies from Saint Louis University (2000-2004)13
• MPH in Health Behavior and Health Education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill3
• BA in African-American/Black Studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1991-1995)1

Dr. McNeill has received numerous awards, including:

• Fellow of the Society of Behavioral Medicine (2022)3
• The Margaret and James A. Elkins, Jr. Faculty Achievement Award in Cancer Prevention (2018)3
• Biden Cancer Initiative Fierce Award in Cancer Health Disparities (2018)3

She is also the director of the Center for Community-Engaged Translational Research (CCETR) at MD Anderson, where she works with faculty to develop collaborations with underserved communities for cancer prevention research.23