Assistant Investigator, Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, University of Puerto Rico Comprehensive Cancer Center (UPRCCC), San Juan, PR
Dr. Cardona Cordero completed a MS in Environmental Health and earned her DrPH in Environmental Health from the University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus. She completed her first postdoctoral training at the University of Rochester in Population Health with a focus on Global Health in 2020 (#TL1TR002000). Later in that same year, she was awarded a postdoctoral diversity fellowship from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) under the Environmental and Child Health Outcomes (3UH3OD023251-05S1). As Co-Investigator of the US Department of Education P120A20009, Dr. Cardona conducted research community engaged research and field research to assess health risk related to microbes’ exposure in environmental compartments (including water, air, soil, and built environments) in communities in south and west areas of Puerto Rico. Her work on microbiological assessment has been highlighted in local news by Debora Martorell.
Dr. Cardona is developing a research program aimed at understanding the role of environmental factors in the Cancer Control Continuum among Caribbean populations. At the Comprehensive Cancer Center, she Co-Leads the Research Project of the Caribbean Cancer Research Center on Environmental and Natural Hazards (CARIBCARES), and the Resilient Navigation Project funded by Prevent Cancer Foundation. As well, she leads the “Beauty products usage and Breast Cancer Risk” study. Within the REPMIC program, Dr. Cardona’s focuses on environmental health factors that influence exposure to microbial and infectious agents associated with adverse health outcomes that affect cancer survivors and drive cancer risk. Within the REPMIC Program, her research aim to: (1) examine environmental compartments to identify conditions that facilitate exposure to opportunistic microbial agents and pathogens, and (2) investigates environmental determinants that contribute to the persistence and transmission of infectious agents linked to cancer development. Through an interdisciplinary approach integrating environmental exposure assessment, epidemiology, and cancer prevention, her work aims to inform strategies that reduce the cancer burden related to environmental health.