Kelly A. Hirko is an Associate Professor in the Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics. Her research focuses on understanding the etiology of cancer through the investigation of modifiable lifestyle risk factors, particularly obesity and nutrition.

Dr. Hirko uses biomarkers, such as sex steroid concentrations and tumor marker characteristics, to illuminate the pathways through which exposures to certain lifestyle factors may result in the development of breast cancer. Her work also seeks to understand risk factors for aggressive breast cancer subtypes, including estrogen receptor-negative tumors, and inflammatory breast cancer. Dr. Hirko’s additional research interests include investigating potential contributors to racial and socioeconomic disparities in cancer occurrence and prognosis after diagnosis.

Dr. Hirko received her Ph.D. in Epidemiological Science from the University of Michigan School of Public Health, and her M.P.H. in Epidemiology from the Boston University School of Public Health. She completed her postdoctoral training at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health.

Favorite SFS Memory: I have so many wonderful memories from my time at SFS in Kenya—being warmly welcomed into homes for tea during fieldwork, sharing snacks with children, learning about the Maasai culture, nights spent in the Twiga cabin with friends, and bumpy adventures on potholed roads. I’m deeply grateful for this incredible experience.