Julie R. Palmer, ScD, MPH
Karin Grunebaum Cancer Research Professor
Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
Medicine
Hematology & Medical Oncology

ScD, Harvard University
MPH, Boston University
BS, Boston University
BA, Brown University

Pronouns: she/her/hers



Dr. Palmer is a cancer epidemiologist based at the Slone Epidemiology Center, with research projects spanning cancer early detection, etiology, and survivorship. Her primary focus is on elucidating reasons for the disproportionately high incidence of hormone receptor negative breast cancer in U.S. Black women and on understanding and reducing racial disparities in breast cancer mortality. She is a founding leader of the Black Women’s Health Study (BWHS), a prospective cohort study of 59,000 self-identified Black women who enrolled in 1995 and have been followed by biennial questionnaire since that time. Her breast cancer research within the BWHS includes work on risk prediction models for breast cancer in U.S. Black women, identifying differences in childbearing patterns as a contributing cause to the excess incidence of estrogen receptor negative breast cancer in Black women, and investigating the interrelationships of type 2 diabetes, obesity, and inflammation on breast cancer risk. Her current grants support work on somatic mutations, epigenetics, and gene expressions profiles in breast cancer tumors from African American women, setting the stage for a better understanding of the role of epidemiologic and genetic factors in etiology and prognosis. Dr. Palmer has served on many NIH and external advisory committees, including as Chair of the NIH Cancer, Cardiovascular, and Sleep Epidemiology Study Section, 2015-2017, and Co-Chair of a Working Group for the National Cancer Advisory Board, NCI, 2018-2019. Dr. Palmer was awarded the AACR Distinguished Lectureship on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in 2017. She has served as a Komen Scholar since 2018 and as a Breast Cancer Research Foundation Investigator since 2023.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility

Diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice have been a high priority for me throughout my career. I came of age during the early years of the Black Power movement, the second wave of the Women's Liberation movement, and the Gay Liberation movement. The terms "white privilege", "male privilege", "heterosexual privilege", and "class privilege" have been part of my lexicon since before I even began my graduate education. My choice of research topics as an epidemiologist has been informed by my desire to 1) conduct research in populations that have traditionally been ignored - specifically for my research, women and Black Americans, and 2) to address research questions that may lead to prevention of disease by considering social and political conditions rather individual behaviors only. To this end, I have devoted most of my research time since the early 1990's to creating and co-leading the Black Women's Health Study, a prospective cohort study of 59,000 U.S. Black women who enrolled in 1995 and have been followed by biennial questionnaires. In addition to prioritizing research questions as described above, I am committed to assisting in creating opportunities for Black investigators, and in particular Black women scientists, to develop successful careers. I do this first by recruiting and mentoring graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and junior faculty, and second by providing opportunities for Black investigators from other institutions to strengthen their careers by using Black Women's Health Study data to address their own hypotheses. It is not just that no one has all the answers; no one has all the questions. One of the most important things I have learned through years of working with a diverse group of investigators is to listen, to do my part in allowing there to be a space for all ideas to be heard. I am dedicated to welcoming and celebrating individuals of all races, ethnicities, social backgrounds, sexual orientation, gender, sex, age, ability, religion, and national origin.

Professor
Boston University School of Public Health
Epidemiology


Director
Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
Slone Epidemiology Center


Co-Director
Boston University
BU-BMC Cancer Center


Member
Boston University
Evans Center for Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research


Member
Boston University
Genome Science Institute




A Follow-up Study for Causes of Cancer in Black Women
09/01/2022 - 08/31/2027 (Multi-PI)
PI: Julie R. Palmer, ScD, MPH
NIH/National Cancer Institute
5U01CA164974-15

Breast Cancer Drivers in Black Women: Society to Cells
11/01/2023 - 09/30/2026 (PI)
Breast Cancer Research Foundation


Evaluating the Feasibility of Lung Cancer Screening in High-risk Black Women
08/01/2023 - 07/31/2026 (Subcontract PI)
Massachusetts General Hospital HHS AHRQ
5R18HS029430-02

Somatic Mutations and Their Etiological Determinants for Breast Cancer in African American Women
02/01/2019 - 01/31/2026 (Multi-PI)
PI: Julie R. Palmer, ScD, MPH
Health Research, Inc. NIH NCI
5R01CA228156-05

American Cancer Society Institutional Research Grant
01/01/2023 - 12/31/2025 (PI)
American Cancer Society, Inc.


Testing scalable communication modalities for returning breast cancer genetic research results to African American women
06/12/2020 - 11/30/2025 (Multi-PI)
PI: Julie R. Palmer, ScD, MPH
NIH/National Inst on Minority Health and Health Disparities
5R01MD014312-04

Psychosocial stress and molecular profiles of breast tumors from U.S. Black women
10/26/2022 - 10/25/2025 (PI)
Susan G. Komen for the Cure


Neighborhood Disadvantage, Tumor Characteristics, and Breast Cancer Survival in U.S. Black Women
09/14/2023 - 09/13/2025 (PI)
Susan G. Komen for the Cure


Improving Breast Cancer Risk Prediction for African American Women: Consideration of Estrogen Receptor Subtype-Specific Risk Factors
01/08/2019 - 12/31/2023 (PI)
NIH/National Cancer Institute
5R01CA228357-05

Relationships between parity, breastfeeding and ER- breast cancer in African American women: elucidating the biologic underpinnings at the molecular and cellular level
12/04/2018 - 11/30/2023 (Multi-PI)
PI: Julie R. Palmer, ScD, MPH
Health Research, Inc. NIH NCI
5R01CA225947-03

Showing 10 of 29 results. Show All Results


Title


Yr Title Project-Sub Proj Pubs
2025 A Follow-up Study for Causes of Cancer in Black Women 5U01CA164974-15
2024 Evaluating the Feasibility of Lung Cancer Screening in High-Risk Black Women 5R18HS029430-02
2024 Testing scalable communication modalities for returning breast cancer genetic research results to African American women 5R01MD014312-04
2024 A Follow-up Study for Causes of Cancer in Black Women 5U01CA164974-14
2023 Evaluating the Feasibility of Lung Cancer Screening in High-Risk Black Women 1R18HS029430-01
2023 Somatic Mutations and Their Etiological Determinants for Breast Cancer in African American Women 5R01CA228156-05
2023 Improving Breast Cancer Risk Prediction for African American Women: Consideration of Estrogen Receptor Subtype-Specific Risk Factors 5R01CA228357-05
2023 Relationships between parity, breastfeeding and ER- breast cancer in African American women: Elucidating the biologic underpinnings at the molecular and cellular level. 5R01CA225947-05
2023 A Follow-up Study for Causes of Cancer in Black Women 5U01CA164974-13
2022 Testing scalable communication modalities for returning breast cancer genetic research results to African American women 5R01MD014312-03
Showing 10 of 85 results. Show All Results

Publications listed below are automatically derived from MEDLINE/PubMed and other sources, which might result in incorrect or missing publications. Faculty can login to make corrections and additions.

iCite Analysis       Copy PMIDs To Clipboard

  1. Peoples AR, Obón-Santacana M, Kim AE, Kawaguchi ES, Fu Y, Qu C, Moratalla-Navarro F, Morrison J, Lin Y, Arndt V, Berndt SI, Bien SA, Bishop DT, Bouras E, Brenner H, Buchanan DD, Campbell PT, Chan AT, Chang-Claude J, Conti DV, Corley DA, Devall MA, Dimou N, Drew DA, Gruber SB, Gunter MJ, Harlid S, Harrison TA, Hoffmeister M, Hsu L, Huyghe JR, Keku TO, Kundaje A, Lewinger JP, Li L, Lynch BM, Le Marchand L, Martín V, Murphy N, Newton CC, Ogino S, Hardikar S, Ose J, Pai RK, Palmer JR, Papadimitriou N, Pardamean B, Pellatt AJ, Pinchev M, Platz EA, Potter JD, Rennert G, Ruiz-Narvaez EA, Sakoda LC, Schoen RE, Shcherbina A, Stern MC, Su YR, Thomas CE, Tian Y, Tsilidis KK, Um CY, van Duijnhoven FJB, Van Guelpen B, Visvanathan K, Wang J, White E, Wolk A, Woods MO, Wu AH, Ulrich CM, Peters U, Gauderman WJ, Moreno V. Genetic risk factors modulate the association between physical activity and colorectal cancer. BMC Med. 2026 Feb 05; 24(1). PMID: 41645200; PMCID: PMC12973902; DOI: 10.1186/s12916-026-04675-5;
     
  2. Mitra PR, Bertrand KA, Pfeiffer RM, Palmer JR, Ramireddy S, Hyer M, Fan S, Strohsnitter WC, Aagaard KM, Huo D, Titus L, Troisi R, Gierach GL. Prenatal diethylstilbestrol exposure and risk of benign breast disease: The National Cancer Institute Diethylstilbestrol Follow-up Study. Int J Cancer. 2026 Jun 15; 158(12):3101-3111.View Related Profiles. PMID: 41590827
     
  3. O'Brien KM, Keil AP, Taylor JA, Weinberg CR, Polley EC, Yadav S, Boddicker NJ, Hu C, Ambrosone CB, Anton-Culver H, Auer PL, Bodelon C, Brantley K, Burnside ES, Chen F, Domchek SM, Eliassen AH, Haiman CA, Hodge JM, Kraft P, Lacey JV, Lindstroem S, Martinez ME, Nathanson KL, Neuhausen SL, Olson JE, Palmer JR, Patel AV, Penney KL, Ruddy KJ, Scott CG, Teras LR, Trentham-Dietz A, Vachon CM, Weitzel JN, Yao S, Zirpoli G, Couch FJ, Sandler DP. Pathogenic Variants, Family History, and Cumulative Risk of Breast Cancer in US Women. JAMA Oncol. 2025 Dec 01; 11(12):1458-1469.View Related Profiles. PMID: 41066089; PMCID: PMC12512027; DOI: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2025.3875;
     
  4. Xu NN, Barnard ME, Holder EX, Rosenberg L, Ko N, Palmer JR. Perceived racial discrimination in health care in relation to late stage at breast cancer diagnosis. Breast Cancer Res. 2025 Nov 25; 27(1):208.View Related Profiles. PMID: 41291827; PMCID: PMC12648883; DOI: 10.1186/s13058-025-02160-0;
     
  5. Billaud A, Figlioli G, Mooser C, Casamassima I, Azzoni V, Srivatsa J, Colombo M, Caleca L, Ahearn TU, Andrulis IL, Antoniou AC, Beckmann MW, Behrens S, Bermisheva M, Bogdanova NV, Bolla MK, Bonanni B, Brüning T, Camp NJ, Campbell A, Castelao JE, Cessna MH, Chang-Claude J, Czene K, Dennis J, Devilee P, Dörk T, Dunning AM, Eriksson M, Evans DG, Fasching PA, Figueroa JD, Gabrielson M, Gago-Dominguez M, González-Neira A, Guénel P, Hadjisavvas A, Hahnen E, Hamann U, Hillemanns P, Hollestelle A, Hooning MJ, Hoppe R, Howell A, Jakubowska A, Kristensen VN, Lubinski J, Lush M, Manoukian S, Mavroudis D, Milne RL, Mulligan AM, Newman WG, Obi N, Panayiotidis MI, Pita G, Rashid MU, Rhenius V, Saloustros E, Sawyer EJ, Schmutzler RK, Shah M, Southey MC, Spurdle AB, Tomlinson I, Truong T, Wang Q, Wendt C, Auer PL, Boddicker NJ, Bodelon C, Burnside ES, Chen F, Couch FJ, Domchek SM, Eliassen HA, Haiman C, Hodge JM, Hu C, Huang H, Lindstrom S, Martinez ME, Nathanson KL, Neuhausen SL, O'Brien KM, Olson JE, Palmer JR, Patel AV, Ruddy KJ, Sandler DP, Teras LR, Weinberg CR, Weitzel JN, Winham SJ, Yadav S, Yao S, Zirpoli G, Janatova M, Kleibl Z, Kleiblova P, Soukupova J, Zhao Q, Devereux L, James PA, Campbell IG, Nguyen-Dumont T, Dowty JG, Andrieu N, Lesueur F, Stoppa-Lyonnet D, Hoya M, Radice P, Sørensen CS, Peterlongo P. Large-scale meta-analysis and precision functional assays identify FANCM regions in which PTVs confer different risks for ER-negative and triple-negative breast cancer. Breast. 2026 Feb; 85:104619.View Related Profiles. PMID: 41223770; PMCID: PMC12657754; DOI: 10.1016/j.breast.2025.104619;
     
  6. Jiang SJ, Thomas M, Rosenthal EA, Phipps AI, Sakoda LC, van Duijnhoven FJB, Pellatt AJ, Avery CL, Berndt SI, Bishop DT, Castellví-Bel S, Chan AT, Grant RC, Gignoux C, Gsur A, Gunter MJ, Haiman CA, Hoffmeister M, Jarvik GP, Jenkins MA, Keku TO, Küry S, Lee JK, Marchand LL, Moreno V, Newcomb PA, Newton CC, Ogino S, Palmer JR, Pearlman R, Qu C, Schoen RE, Um CY, Van Guelpen B, Visvanathan K, Vymetalkova V, White E, Woods MO, Platz EA, Brenner H, Corley DA, Vogelaar IL, Hsu L, Peters U. Multiple polygenic score approach in colorectal cancer risk prediction. Sci Rep. 2025 Oct 30; 15(1):38006. PMID: 41168411; PMCID: PMC12575652; DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-21956-w;
     
  7. Wesselink AK, Willis MD, Lovett SM, Sheng C, Kuohung W, Hicks J, Peters JL, Sheehy S, Palmer JR, Wise LA, Cozier Y. Neighborhood disadvantage and fecundability in a cohort of US Black women. Environ Epidemiol. 2025 Dec; 9(6):e428.View Related Profiles. PMID: 41140319; PMCID: PMC12551729; DOI: 10.1097/EE9.0000000000000428;
     
  8. Holder EX, Szalat R, Palmer JR, Bertrand KA. Neighborhood disadvantage and multiple myeloma incidence in the Black Women's Health Study. Int J Epidemiol. 2025 Oct 14; 54(6).View Related Profiles. PMID: 41206638; PMCID: PMC12596579; DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyaf188;
     
  9. Nair NM, Mendicino L, Fiorica PN, Omilian AR, Khoury T, Bshara W, Bandera EV, Hong CC, Abdou Y, Freudenheim JL, Hennis AJM, O'Brien KM, Zirpoli GR, Butler EN, Obafunwa JO, Weinberg CR, Huo D, Li B, Guo X, Palmer JR, Haiman CA, Zheng W, Yao S, Ambrosone CB. The African-Specific Variant in the Duffy Antigen Receptor for Chemokines Gene, CD8+ T-Cell Density, and Aggressive Breast Cancer Subtypes in Black Women. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2025 Sep 02; 34(9):1509-1515.View Related Profiles. PMID: 40627176; PMCID: PMC12337512; DOI: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-25-0454;
     
  10. Peoples AR, Obón-Santacana M, Kim AE, Kawaguchi ES, Fu Y, Qu C, Moratalla-Navarro F, Morrison J, Lin Y, Arndt V, Berndt SI, Bien SA, Bishop DT, Bouras E, Brenner H, Buchanan DD, Campbell PT, Chan AT, Chang-Claude J, Conti DV, Corley DA, Devall MA, Dimou N, Drew DA, Gruber SB, Gunter MJ, Harlid S, Harrison TA, Hoffmeister M, Hsu L, Huyghe JR, Keku TO, Kundaje A, Lewinger JP, Li L, Lynch BM, Marchand LL, Martín V, Murphy N, Newton CC, Ogino S, Hardikar S, Ose J, Pai RK, Palmer JR, Papadimitriou N, Pardamean B, Pellatt AJ, Pinchev M, Platz EA, Potter JD, Rennert G, Ruiz-Narvaez EA, Sakoda LC, Schoen RE, Shcherbina A, Stern MC, Su YR, Thomas CE, Tian Y, Tsilidis KK, Um CY, van Duijnhoven FJB, van Guelpen B, Visvanathan K, Wang J, White E, Wolk A, Woods MO, Wu AH, Ulrich CM, Peters U, Gauderman WJ, Moreno V. Genetic risk factors modulate the association between physical activity and colorectal cancer. Res Sq. 2025 Sep 02. PMID: 40951278; PMCID: PMC12425077; DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7350654/v1;
     
Showing 10 of 510 results. Show More

This graph shows the total number of publications by year, by first, middle/unknown, or last author.

Bar chart showing 509 publications over 41 distinct years, with a maximum of 34 publications in 2016

YearPublications
19861
19872
19882
19895
19907
19916
19925
19934
19943
19955
19962
19973
19985
19996
20008
20019
20025
20039
20045
200510
200616
200714
20089
200911
201018
201115
201220
201325
201417
201522
201634
201725
201821
201910
202023
202127
202218
202331
202420
202529
20262


Breast cancer month panel with Drs. Julie Palmer and Ann Partridge

WGBH 10/22/2024

Heightened Cancer Risks For Black Women Under 50: Here Is What To Know And Do About It

Rickey Smiley Morning Show 6/14/2024

The Longest Running Study of Black Women's Health Just Shared Some Major Results

The Root 11/27/2023

For nearly 30 years, Boston University has led the largest and longest-running study of Black women’s health, shining a light on tragic disparities and showing women their lives matter

BU Today 10/31/2023

Black women face deadly racial disparities in breast cancer

The Hill 10/25/2023

Boston doctor pioneers new breast cancer screening test focused on Black community

WCVB 11/8/2022

Navigating the Black-White Divide in Breast Cancer Deaths

U.S. News & World Report 10/13/2022

Neighborhood Adversity Associated With Increased Risk of ER- Breast Cancer, TNBC for Black Women in the United States

Pharmacy Times 9/21/2022

Changes to lung cancer screening increase eligibility for Black women by 50 percent, study says

The Hill 1/7/2022

Relaxed Hair Has Made a Comeback on Social Media, Reigniting a Debate on the Straight Style

PopSugar 11/23/2021

Tool could close gap in breast cancer prediction for Black women

Futurity 11/2/2021

BU researchers develop a risk prediction model for breast cancer in Black women

News Medical 10/29/2021

Vitamin D Deficiency Could Raise Colon Cancer Risk in Black Women

Black Doctor 10/28/2021

Too Little Vitamin D Could Raise Colon Cancer Risk in Black Women

HealthDay 10/27/2021

For Black Women, New Online Prediction Tool Could Reduce Breast Cancer Deaths

BU Today 10/26/2021

Breast Cancer Prediction Tool for US Black Women Eases Risk Stratification

Medscape 10/20/2021

Boston University researchers develop breast cancer prediction tool for Black women

WCVB 10/8/2021

‘We can’t ever go to the doctor with our guard down’: Why Black women are 40% more likely to die of breast cancer

Fortune 6/30/2020

African-American, White Women Share Genetic Mutations Linked to Breast Cancer

UPI 5/19/2020

Tooth Loss Linked To Greater Risk of Pancreatic Cancer Among African American Women

MedicalResearch.com 3/28/2019

2023-2025 Breast Cancer Research Foundation: Breast Cancer Research Foundation Investigator
2019 Boston University School of Medicine: Karin Grunebaum Professor in Cancer Research
2018-2027 Susan G. Komen Foundation: Komen Scholar
2017 American Association for Cancer Research: AACR Distinguished Lectureship on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities
2011 National Cancer Institute: Outstanding Service Award
2011 Boston University School of Public Health: Distinguished Alumni Award
In addition to these self-described keywords below, a list of MeSH based concepts is available here.

cancer epidemiology
health disparities
breast cancer subtypes
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Boston MA 02118
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