In this talk, Dr. Stefan will discuss her contribution to cancer epidemiology research and the equity gaps in global oncology research.
Cristina Stefan obtained her MD in Romania, followed by Master degrees in Pediatrics and Oncology in South Africa, a Master in cancer epidemiology from UK, a PhD in medical education and an MBA from France. She is a Professor in Global Health and Medicine and previously the Director of the Institute of Global Health Equity Research at The University of Global Health Education in Rwanda, providing leadership and developing the young generation of global health and oncology scientists. At present, she is the President and CEO of The Medical Education Research and Innovation Centre.
Dr. Stefan is a Member of Honor of the Academy of Medical Science, Romania, a member of the Academy of Science of South Africa, and of the Royal Society of Science of South Africa. She is the first woman elected president of the African Organization for Research and Training in Cancer and was voted as the most influential African woman in business and government (medicine) in 2016, as well as among the top 100 Women Leaders in Healthcare in Asia, in 2020. In 2022, she received the most prestigious IARC (International Agency for Research in Cancer) award for women in cancer research. In 2023, she received the excellence award for advancing community health work in rural areas in Romania.
Dr. Stefan has a comprehensive experience in teaching, internationally and in South Africa. She has presented lectures In Morocco, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Namibia, Rwanda, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Malawi, Botswana, Congo, and Mali. She is a faculty member of IARC and of ASCO. She taught Cancer registration and epidemiology at IARC and organized the first Cancer Registration workshop, in collaboration with IARC, on the African continent.
She contributed to over 150 peer-reviewed published articles, being first author of 42 papers. Dr. Stefan edited and authored four books, among which Cancer Research and Clinical Trials in Developing Countries. A Practical Guide. She authored or co-authored 19 chapters in books and lead more than 20 clinical trials as PI. She is a board member of several journals such as e cancer, BMC, PLOS and Frontiers in Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology.
Enthusiastic about forming young medical research cadres, she mentored the research of three students from The Netherlands, one Master thesis in Health Economics At the London School of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene in UK and 21 research theses in South Africa and directing four doctorates in Romania. She supervised hundreds of young students from different USA universities while doing their global health research projects.
She is the founder of African Medical Research and Innovation Institute and African Cancer Institute and works as advisor for Ministers of Health in different countries and consultant for WHO and World Bank as an expert in childhood cancer, cervical cancer and breast cancer as well as national cancer control plans, primary health care, health systems and policies.