Ruth Modzelewski, PhD

Ruth Modzelewski, PhD is the Mission Coordinator at Susan G. Komen Pittsburgh. Previously, she was an Assistant Professor at the University of Pittsburgh School Of Medicine and her research focused upon experimental cancer therapeutics. After joining Komen Pittsburgh in 2009, she continues to be involved in training students from the University of Pittsburgh’s Graduate School of Public Health. Ruth also serves as a board member on Shaler Area Education Foundation and The Steel City Dragon Boat Associate as well as serving on several health-related advisory panels. She is a two-time 18-year breast cancer survivor.  Ruth states: My life and work experiences have combined to bring me to this point of being an advocate for a variety of public health issues including cancer survivorship and clinical trials.  My career as a translational cancer therapeutics researcher has provided an understanding of clinical trial design and the scientific bench work which precedes translation to the clinic. From the “other side of the bed”, my personal history of being a two-time survivor of breast cancer has made me aware of the processes and decisions that patients face during diagnosis and treatment. In my current work as Mission Coordinator at Susan G. Komen Pittsburgh I’ve been able to utilize my training in public health to identify barriers, address needs and implement strategies to improve access to breast cancer screening, treatment and survivorship programs.
My survivorship experiences, analytical nature and passion for public health enables me to serve as a valuable consumer advocate.