Ruth Pfeiffer

Ruth Pfeiffer is a renowned biostatistician and epidemiologist known for her significant contributions to the field of cancer epidemiology. She has been instrumental in developing statistical methods for analyzing genetic and environmental risk factors for cancer.

Early Life and Education[edit | edit source]

Ruth Pfeiffer was born and raised in Germany. She completed her undergraduate studies in mathematics at the University of Munich. She then moved to the United States to pursue her doctoral studies in biostatistics at the Johns Hopkins University.

Career[edit | edit source]

After completing her doctorate, Pfeiffer joined the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in Bethesda, Maryland, where she has made significant contributions to the field of cancer epidemiology. Her research primarily focuses on developing statistical methods for analyzing genetic and environmental risk factors for cancer.

Pfeiffer has also been involved in several large-scale genome-wide association studies (GWAS), which have led to the identification of numerous genetic variants associated with different types of cancer. Her work has significantly advanced our understanding of the genetic basis of cancer and has paved the way for the development of new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.

Contributions to Cancer Epidemiology[edit | edit source]

One of Pfeiffer's most notable contributions to cancer epidemiology is the development of the Pfeiffer method, a statistical method for estimating the cumulative risk of cancer. This method has been widely used in epidemiological studies to estimate the risk of developing cancer over a specified period of time.

Pfeiffer has also made significant contributions to the field of molecular epidemiology, a branch of epidemiology that focuses on the contribution of genetic and environmental factors to disease distribution and risk. Her research in this area has led to the identification of several key genetic variants associated with increased risk of cancer.

Awards and Recognition[edit | edit source]

In recognition of her contributions to the field of cancer epidemiology, Pfeiffer has received numerous awards and honors. These include the American Statistical Association's Outstanding Statistical Application Award and the National Institutes of Health's Merit Award.