Overview
Rebecca Kehm, PhD, is a cancer and social epidemiologist. She received an MPH and PhD in Epidemiology from the University of Minnesota. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Columbia University.
Dr. Kehm’s current research aims to identify modifiable early-life factors that are associated with cancer risk, particularly early onset breast cancer. Her research encompasses a range of cancer risk factors, including social stressors, physical activity, and air pollution. She utilizes family-based cohorts to explore how these external factors interact with genetic susceptibility and employs biomarkers in breast tissue and blood to study risk throughout the life course. She also specializes in time series analyses to study cancer trends using large-scale databases. Dr. Kehm is translating her epidemiological findings into novel interventions for communities disproportionately burdened by cancer.
Dr. Kehm’s current research aims to identify modifiable early-life factors that are associated with cancer risk, particularly early onset breast cancer. Her research encompasses a range of cancer risk factors, including social stressors, physical activity, and air pollution. She utilizes family-based cohorts to explore how these external factors interact with genetic susceptibility and employs biomarkers in breast tissue and blood to study risk throughout the life course. She also specializes in time series analyses to study cancer trends using large-scale databases. Dr. Kehm is translating her epidemiological findings into novel interventions for communities disproportionately burdened by cancer.
Academic Appointments
- Assistant Professor of Epidemiology
Credentials & Experience
Education & Training
- BA, 2009 Boston University
- MPH, 2013 University of Minnesota
- PhD, 2017 University of Minnesota
Research
Research Interests
- Biostatistical Methods
- Cancer
- Chronic disease
- Community Health
- Environmental Health
- Health Equity and Disparities
- Physical Activity
Selected Publications
Kehm RD, Knight JA, Houghton LC, McDonald JA, Schwartz LA, Goldberg M, Chung WK, Frost CJ, Wei Y, Bradbury AR, Keegan THM, Daly MB, Buys SS, Andrulis IL, John EM, Terry MB. “Childhood physical activity and pubertal timing: findings from the LEGACY girls study.” International Journal of Epidemiology. 2024. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38205889/
Kehm RD, Walter EJ, Oskar S, White ML, Tehranifar P, Herbstman JB, Perera F, Lilge L, Miller RL, Terry MB. “Exposure to polycyclic aromantic hydrocarbons during pregnancy and breast tissue composition in adolescent daughters and their mothers: a prospective cohort study.” Breast Cancer Research. 2022;24(1):1-12. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35821060/
Kehm RD, Llanos AA, McDonald JA, Tehranifar P, Terry MB. “Evidence-based interventions for reducing breast cancer disparities: what works and where the gaps are?” Cancers. 2022;14(17):4122. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36077659/
Kehm RD, MacInnis RJ, John EM, Liao Y, Kurian AW, Genkinger JM, Knight JA, Colonna SV, Chung WK, Milne R, Zeinomar N, Dite GS, Southey MC, Giles GG, McLachlan SA, Whitaker KD, Friedlander ML, Weideman PC, Glendon G, Nesci S, kConFab Investigators, Phillips KA, Andrulis IL, Buys SS, Daly MB, Hopper JL, Terry MB. “Recreational physical activity and outcomes after breast cancer in women at high familial risk.” JNCI Cancer Spectrum. 2021; 5(6):pkab090. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34950851/
Kehm RD, Tehranifar P, Terry MB. “40 years of change in age- and stage-specific cancer incidence rates in US women and men.” JNCI Cancer Spectrum. 2019;3(3): pkz038. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31414075/
Kehm RD, Genkinger JM, MacInnis RJ, John EM, Phillips KA, Dite GS, Milne RL, Zeinomar N, Liao Y, Knight JA, Southey MC, Chung WK, Giles GG, McLachlan SA, Whitaker KD, Friedlander ML, Weideman PC, Glendon G, Nesci S, kConFab Investigators, Andrulis IL, Buys SS, Daly MB, Hopper JL, Terry MB. “Recreational physical activity is associated with reduced breast cancer risk in adult women at high risk of breast cancer: a cohort study of women selected for familial and genetic risk.” Cancer Research. 2019;80(1):116-125. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31578201/
Kehm RD, Spector LG, Poynter JN, Vock DM, Altekruse SF, Osypuk TL. “Does socioeconomic status account for racial and ethnic disparities in childhood cancer survival?” Cancer. 2017; 124(20): 4090-4097. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30125340/
Kehm RD, Walter EJ, Oskar S, White ML, Tehranifar P, Herbstman JB, Perera F, Lilge L, Miller RL, Terry MB. “Exposure to polycyclic aromantic hydrocarbons during pregnancy and breast tissue composition in adolescent daughters and their mothers: a prospective cohort study.” Breast Cancer Research. 2022;24(1):1-12. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35821060/
Kehm RD, Llanos AA, McDonald JA, Tehranifar P, Terry MB. “Evidence-based interventions for reducing breast cancer disparities: what works and where the gaps are?” Cancers. 2022;14(17):4122. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36077659/
Kehm RD, MacInnis RJ, John EM, Liao Y, Kurian AW, Genkinger JM, Knight JA, Colonna SV, Chung WK, Milne R, Zeinomar N, Dite GS, Southey MC, Giles GG, McLachlan SA, Whitaker KD, Friedlander ML, Weideman PC, Glendon G, Nesci S, kConFab Investigators, Phillips KA, Andrulis IL, Buys SS, Daly MB, Hopper JL, Terry MB. “Recreational physical activity and outcomes after breast cancer in women at high familial risk.” JNCI Cancer Spectrum. 2021; 5(6):pkab090. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34950851/
Kehm RD, Tehranifar P, Terry MB. “40 years of change in age- and stage-specific cancer incidence rates in US women and men.” JNCI Cancer Spectrum. 2019;3(3): pkz038. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31414075/
Kehm RD, Genkinger JM, MacInnis RJ, John EM, Phillips KA, Dite GS, Milne RL, Zeinomar N, Liao Y, Knight JA, Southey MC, Chung WK, Giles GG, McLachlan SA, Whitaker KD, Friedlander ML, Weideman PC, Glendon G, Nesci S, kConFab Investigators, Andrulis IL, Buys SS, Daly MB, Hopper JL, Terry MB. “Recreational physical activity is associated with reduced breast cancer risk in adult women at high risk of breast cancer: a cohort study of women selected for familial and genetic risk.” Cancer Research. 2019;80(1):116-125. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31578201/
Kehm RD, Spector LG, Poynter JN, Vock DM, Altekruse SF, Osypuk TL. “Does socioeconomic status account for racial and ethnic disparities in childhood cancer survival?” Cancer. 2017; 124(20): 4090-4097. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30125340/