Assistant Investigator, Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, UPR Comprehensive Cancer Center
Email: ncardona@cccupr.org
Dr. Nancy R. Cardona Cordero is an Assistant Investigator at the Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences at the University of Puerto Rico Comprehensive Cancer Center. 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.
As an early career investigator, Dr. Cardona Cordero is developing a research program aimed at understanding the role of environmental factors in the Cancer Control Continuum among Caribbean populations. Her work has included examining modifiable factors, like personal care and beauty products, that disproportionately affect Hispanic/Latina women, as well as attempting to better characterize environmental exposures for epidemiological studies. Dr. Cardona is particularly interested in evaluating the dangers associated with endocrine disrupting chemicals in Hispanic/Latina and Caribbean populations, as research has demonstrated that these chemicals can affect hormone-sensitive tumors such as thyroid, breast, and gynecological cancers. In order to address health inequities, Dr. Cardona is currently undertaking studies in Puerto Rico that evaluate the spatial distribution of contaminated sites and cancer risk. Through this work, she is able to identify the most vulnerable and sensitive communities throughout the archipelago. In addition, Dr. Cardona is also working on research focused on the impact of climate change on cancer patients.
Recent papers:
- Cardona Cordero NR, Lafarga Previdi I, Torres HR, Ayala I, Boronow KE, Santos Rivera A, Meeker JD, Alshawabkeh A, Cordero JF, Brody JG, Brown P, Vélez Vega CM. Mi PROTECT: A personalized smartphone platform to report back results to participants of a maternal-child and environmental health research cohort program in Puerto Rico. PLOS Digit Health. 2023 Jan 18;2(1):e0000172. doi: 10.1371/journal.pdig.0000172. PMID: 36812649; PMCID: PMC9931308.
- Cardona Cordero, N.R., Ramos, J.P., Tavarez, Z.Q. et al. Relationship between perceived social support and postpartum care attendance in three Latin American countries: a cross-sectional analytic study. glob health res policy 6, 16 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s41256-021-00196-1
(Updated Jan 11, 2024)