Francesmary Modugno, MS, PhD, MPH

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Francesmary Modugno, MS, PhD, MPH

Professor, Departments of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences and Biomedical Informatics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine; Professor, Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health; Director, Women’s Cancer Biome Program & Gynecologic Oncology Biospecimen and Data Bank, Magee-Womens Research Institute & UPMC Hillman Cancer Center

Contact

UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital
300 Halket Street
Suite 2130
Pittsburgh, PA 15213

Phone: 412-641-6003
Email: modugnof@upmc.edu

Administrative Contact
Janey Zoltun
Email: zoltunj@upmc.edu

Area of Research

Women's Cancers

Education

AB, Mathematics & Computer Science, Cornell University (1987)

MS, Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University (1989)

PhD, Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University (1995)

MPH, Molecular Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh (1998)

Fellowship, Molecular Epidemiology & Cancer Prevention, University of Pittsburgh / National Cancer Institute

My work focuses on ways that women can reduce their risk of developing cancer through the lifestyle and behavioral choices they make. I aim to empower women with research-backed data so that they can work together with their clinicians to optimize their health.
Francesmary Modugno, MS, PhD, MPH

Research in Brief

Dr. Modugno studies how everyday factors—like pregnancies, oral contraception, breastfeeding, and life stress—impact women’s chances of developing ovarian, breast, and endometrial cancers. Her goal is to empower women with evidence-based lifestyle choices and develop prevention tools to save lives. Dr. Modugno also studies factors associated with cancer outcomes to provide clinicians and basic scientists paths to develop more effective treatment approaches, as well as to influence health care policy to ensure all women are provided with the best opportunity to overcome cancer.

Current Projects

Women’s Cancer Biome Program: Linking gut/genitourinary microbiomes with cancer risk and prevention
Gynecologic Oncology Biospecimen & Data Bank (ProMark): Biobanking tumor and healthy tissue for translational and precision oncology research
Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium & Ovarian Tumor Tissue Association: Large-scale epidemiologic and tumor biology collaborations
RPCI/UPCI Ovarian Cancer SPORE Site Co-leader: Served as Co-PI for translational research programs, including Developmental & Career Enhancement Programs and Translational Pathology Core
HCCC Ovarian Cancer SPORE Leadership Team; CEP, DRP, TPC leader; Admin Core co-leader
Investigating social determinants of health (SDOH), allostatic load, and immune response in ovarian and breast cancer outcome disparities
Investigating the role of immune dysfunction in ovarian and breast cancer outcomes

Selected Publications

*Hicks A, *Borho L, Elishaev E, Berger J, Boisen M, Comerci J, Courtney-Brooks M, Edwards RP, Garrett AA, Kelley JL, Lesnock J, Mahdi HS, Olawaiye A, Rush S, Sukumvanich P, Taylor S, Modugno F. All Cause Mortality and Neighborhood Social Vulnerability in Women with Ovarian Cancer. Gynecol Oncol. 2025;195:26-33.
*Borho L… Modugno F. “Association of Allostatic Load with Overall Survival in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer.” Gynecol Oncol. 2024;186:204–210 (mageewomens.org)
*Cai C, Strickland K, Knudsen S, Tucker SB, Chidrala CS, Modugno F. Alzheimer Disease and Related Dementia Following Hormone-Modulating Therapy in Patients with Breast Cancer. JAMA Netw Open. 2024 Jul 1;7(7):e2422493.
*Fu Z, Brooks MM, Irvin S… Modugno F. Lifetime ovulatory years and risk of epithelial ovarian cancer: a multinational pooled analysis of 25 case-control studies. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2023 May 8;115(5):539-551. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
Babic A, Sasamoto N, Rosner BA, …Modugno F^, Terry KL^. Association Between Breastfeeding and Ovarian Cancer Risk. JAMA Oncol. 2020 Jun 1;6(6):e200421. ^co-senior authors.
Modugno F et al. “Oral Contraceptive Use, Reproductive History, and Risk of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer.” Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2004;191(3):733–740 (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)