Francesmary Modugno

Dr. Modugno co-leads the Pittsburgh site for the RPCI/UPCI Ovarian Cancer SPORE. In addition, she oversees the Developmental Research and Career Enhancement Programs which provide seed funding for new project development. Dr. Modugno is the Program Director for the Gynecologic Oncology Biospecimen and Data Bank. The repository collects, processes, banks and disburses tissue and biospecimens (blood, urine, ascites, etc) on women with suspected gynecologic malignancies as well as on healthy women.  Resources of the repository are available to researchers interested in gynecologic oncology or related research. The repository also serves as a core facility for the RPCI-UPCI Ovarian Cancer SPORE. Dr. Modugno is an active member of the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium (OCAC). The consortium makes available to members and their colleagues the data a biospecimens from dozens of ovarian cancer studies throughout the world.

Clinical/Research Interests: Dr. Modugno is a molecular epidemiologist focused on women’s cancers, especially ovarian, breast and endometrial cancers. Through a series of NIH and DOD grants, Dr. Modugno’s research has examined the underlying epidemiology of ovarian and breast cancers with a focus on genetic and hormonal factors. As the Principal Investigator of the HOPE study, one of the largest studies of ovarian cancer risk and prognosis ever conducted in the US (2003-2008), Dr. Modugno was one of the first members of the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium (OCAC), a multinational consortium of ovarian cancer investigators that pools data and resources to investigate ovarian cancer risk and prognostic factors. After returning from family leave, Dr. Modugno has resumed her research questions as an active member in OCAC. More recently, Dr. Modugno’s research has focused on immunological factors in ovarian and breast cancer risk and survival.