Melinda Irwin, PhD, MPH
Associate Dean of Research and Susan Dwight Bliss Professor of Epidemiology (Chronic Diseases)Cards
Additional Titles
Deputy Director (Public Health), Yale Center for Clinical Investigation
Deputy Director, Yale Cancer Center
Contact Info
Chronic Disease Epidemiology
PO Box 208034, 60 College Street
New Haven, CT 06520-8034
United States
About
Titles
Associate Dean of Research and Susan Dwight Bliss Professor of Epidemiology (Chronic Diseases)
Deputy Director (Public Health), Yale Center for Clinical Investigation; Deputy Director, Yale Cancer Center
Biography
Melinda L. Irwin, PhD, MPH is the Susan Dwight Bliss Professor of Epidemiology and Associate Dean of Research at the Yale School of Public Health, Deputy Director of the Yale Cancer Center, and Deputy Director (Public Health) in the Yale Center for Clinical Investigation. Nationally, Dr. Irwin co-leads the SWOG Cancer Research Network Cancer Survivorship Committee. In 2018, Dr. Irwin completed the yearlong Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM) Program. Dr. Irwin’s experience working across departments, schools, and with interdisciplinary groups of investigators has provided her with the skills to train and mentor effectively.
Dr. Irwin is a prominent leader in the field of cancer prevention and survivorship research. Her research over the past 20 years has focused on randomized trials of exercise and weight loss on biological markers, treatment side effects and quality of life in people with diagnosed with cancer. She has received funding from the National Institutes of Health, American Cancer Society, Breast Cancer Research Foundation, American Institute for Cancer Research, Komen for the Cure, and Livestrong Foundation. She is currently leading an NCI-funded clinical trial examining the impact of nutrition and exercise on improving chemotherapy completion rate, endocrine therapy adherence, biomarkers, body composition and quality of life in women beginning chemotherapy for breast cancer, and a also leading a newly funded NCI U01 trial of exercise and nutrition on treatment outcomes in women newly diagnosed with ovarian cancer.
Dr. Irwin is committed to training the next generation of scientists and is currently leading an NCI T32-funded Cancer Prevention and Control Training Program for pre- and post-doctoral fellows and an NCI R25-funded Transdisciplinary Research on Energetics and Cancer (TREC) Training Program for early career investigators. At Yale, Dr. Irwin has advised, mentored and trained over 100 trainees. Her commitment to training the next generation of scientists is evident in the enthusiasm she brings to mentoring. Her vision is to maximize opportunities for early career investigators so they can become leaders in their respective fields and have a maximal impact on the health and well-being of patients and the population.
Appointments
Yale School of Public Health
Associate DeanDualChronic Disease Epidemiology
ProfessorPrimary
Other Departments & Organizations
- Cancer Prevention and Control
- Chronic Disease Epidemiology
- Chronic Disease Epidemiology (CDE)
- Diabetes Research Center
- Irwin Lab (LEAN Study)
- Obesity Research Working Group
- Transdisciplinary Research in Energetics and Cancer Research Education Program
- Yale Cancer Center
- Yale Center for Clinical Investigation (YCCI)
- Yale School of Public Health
- Yale School of Public Health - NEW
- Yale Ventures
Education & Training
- MPH
- University of Washington (2001)
- PhD
- University of South Carolina (1999)
- MS
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1994)
- BS
- College of William and Mary (1992)
Research
Overview
Medical Research Interests
Public Health Interests
ORCID
0000-0001-7571-0304
Research at a Glance
Yale Co-Authors
Publications Timeline
Research Interests
Maura Harrigan, MS, RDN, CSO
Fangyong Li, MS, MPH
Brenda Cartmel, PhD
Leah Ferrucci, PhD, MPH
Lingeng Lu, MD, PhD
Eric Winer, MD
Exercise
Breast Neoplasms
Obesity
Weight Loss
Ovarian Neoplasms
Publications
2024
Baseline predictors associated with successful weight loss among breast cancer survivors in the Lifestyle, Exercise, and Nutrition (LEAN) study
Hoobler R, Puklin L, Harrigan M, Cartmel B, Li F, Sanft T, Ferrucci L, Irwin M, Playdon M. Baseline predictors associated with successful weight loss among breast cancer survivors in the Lifestyle, Exercise, and Nutrition (LEAN) study. Journal Of Cancer Survivorship 2024, 1-9. PMID: 39528779, DOI: 10.1007/s11764-024-01702-3.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsBreast cancer survivorsClinically meaningful weight lossCancer survivorsWeight loss interventionCancer SurvivorsBreast cancer survivorsWeight loss successConclusionBreast cancer survivorsPrevention of weight gainAssociated with lower oddsHistory of weight gainHealthy body weightMultivariate logistic regressionCancer treatmentSuccessful weight lossBreast cancer treatmentIntervention armLower oddsResultsBaseline dataDesign of programsWeight lossLogistic regressionC-statisticWeight gainSurvivorsIntervention1817MO Effect of a weight loss intervention (WLI) on exercise behaviors in women with breast cancer: Results from the breast cancer weight loss (BWEL) trial
Ligibel J, Ballman K, mccall L, Goodwin P, Weiss A, Crane T, Irwin M, Thomson C, Hahn O, Spears P, Hershman D, Paskett E, Hopkins J, Bernstein V, Stearns V, White J, Wadden T, Winer E, Carey L, Partridge A. 1817MO Effect of a weight loss intervention (WLI) on exercise behaviors in women with breast cancer: Results from the breast cancer weight loss (BWEL) trial. Annals Of Oncology 2024, 35: s1078. DOI: 10.1016/j.annonc.2024.08.1913.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsBarriers to and facilitators of improving physical activity and nutrition behaviors during chemotherapy for breast cancer: a sequential mixed methods study
Puklin L, Irwin M, Sanft T, Ferrucci L, Harrigan M, McGowan C, Cartmel B, Zupa M, Winer E, Deyling M, Ligibel J, Basen-Engquist K, Spiegelman D, Sharifi M. Barriers to and facilitators of improving physical activity and nutrition behaviors during chemotherapy for breast cancer: a sequential mixed methods study. Supportive Care In Cancer 2024, 32: 590. PMID: 39141176, DOI: 10.1007/s00520-024-08789-5.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsPhysical activityLifestyle interventionSelf-reported PA questionnaireSelf-reported diet qualityBreast cancerHealthy Eating Index-2015Stage I-III breast cancerBenefits of PASequential mixed methods studyI-III breast cancerChemotherapy-related symptomsMixed methods studyThematic content analysisBehavioral goalsSense of controlBody mass indexPA questionnaireSemi-structured interviewsMean body mass indexTranscribed verbatimIntervention armTailored educationDiet qualityNutritional behaviorMental benefitsExercise and Nutrition to Improve Cancer Treatment-Related Outcomes (ENICTO)
Schmitz K, Brown J, Irwin M, Robien K, Scott J, Berger N, Caan B, Cercek A, Crane T, Evans S, Ligibel J, Meyerhardt J, Agurs-Collins T, Basen-Engquist K, Bea J, Cai S, Cartmel B, Chinchilli V, Demark-Wahnefried W, Dieli-Conwright C, DiPietro L, Doerksen S, Edelstein S, Elena J, Evans W, Ferrucci L, Foldi J, Freylersythe S, Furberg H, Jones L, Levine R, Moskowitz C, Owusu C, Penedo F, Rabin B, Ratner E, Rosenzweig M, Salz T, Sanft T, Schlumbrecht M, Spielmann G, Thomson C, Tjaden A, Weiser M, Yang S, Yu A, Perna F, Caan B, Anderson S, Bahia H, Castillo A, Feliciano E, Johnson K, Ross M, Weltzein E, Brown J, Albarado B, Compton S, Green T, Nash R, Nauta P, Welch M, Yang S, Meyerhardt J, Dieli-Conwright C, Nguyen D, Pena A, Spielmann G, Kim Y, Evans W, Bea J, Blew R, Crane T, Bhatti A, Clavon R, Erlandsen S, Freylersythe S, Hollander K, Lopez-Pentecost M, Penedo F, Rolle L, Rossi P, Schlumbrecht M, Wheeler M, Irwin M, Cao A, Cartmel B, Ferrucci L, Gottlieb L, Harrigan M, Li F, McGowan C, Puklin L, Ratner E, Sanft T, Zupa M, Berger N, Cerne S, Mills C, Conochan S, Hundal J, Owusu C, Ligibel J, Campbell N, DiGuglielmo K, Kemp W, Maples-Campbell C, Nguyen T, Oppenheim J, Tanasijevic A, Thomson C, Yung A, Basen-Engquist K, Loomba P, Chinchilli V, Schmitz K, Binder J, Doerksen S, Foldi J, Garrett S, Scalise R, Sobolewski M, White L, Scott J, Cercek A, Cai S, Cao S, Furberg H, Harrison J, Jones L, Lee C, Levine R, Michalski M, Moskowitz C, Novo R, Rabazzi J, Stoeckel K, Salz T, Weiser M, Yu A, Demark-Wahnefried W, Robien K, Evans S, DiPietro L, Duong B, Edelstein S, Helmchen L, Le D, McCleary C, Tjaden A, Wopat H, Rabin B, Perna F, Agurs-Collins T, Czajkowski S, Elena J, Nebeling L, Norton W. Exercise and Nutrition to Improve Cancer Treatment-Related Outcomes (ENICTO). Journal Of The National Cancer Institute 2024, djae177. PMID: 39118255, DOI: 10.1093/jnci/djae177.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricConceptsSelf-reported physical functionTreatment-related outcomesTreatment-related side effectsRisk of suboptimal outcomesExercise interventionOncology carePhysical functionNational Cancer InstituteNutrition ProgramIntervention effectsCommon Data ElementsExerciseCancer InstituteCommunity opportunitiesData elementsStandard of careInterventionCareCancer patientsNutritionRelative dose intensityOutcomesSuboptimal outcomesCancer treatmentChemotherapy relative dose intensityEffects of exercise or metformin on myokine concentrations in patients with breast and colorectal cancer: A phase II multi‐centre factorial randomized trial
Brown J, Spielmann G, Yang S, Compton S, Jones L, Irwin M, Ligibel J, Meyerhardt J. Effects of exercise or metformin on myokine concentrations in patients with breast and colorectal cancer: A phase II multi‐centre factorial randomized trial. Journal Of Cachexia Sarcopenia And Muscle 2024, 15: 1520-1527. PMID: 38887915, PMCID: PMC11294014, DOI: 10.1002/jcsm.13509.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsAerobic exerciseMyokine concentrationsStage I-III breastColorectal cancer survivorsEffects of exerciseColorectal cancerLinear mixed-effects regression modelsMixed-effects regression modelsCancer survivorsPhysical activityType I error rateExerciseMyokinesPilot studyRegression modelsCancer patientsRandomized trialsHypothesis-generating analysisMultiple comparisonsBreastSkeletal muscleInterleukin-15Clinical outcomesCancerPatientsTrends and predictors of Quality of Life in lung cancer survivors
Bade B, Zhao J, Li F, Tanoue L, Lazowski H, Alfano C, Silvestri G, Irwin M. Trends and predictors of Quality of Life in lung cancer survivors. Lung Cancer 2024, 191: 107793. PMID: 38640687, DOI: 10.1016/j.lungcan.2024.107793.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsFunctional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - LungNon-small cell lung cancerHR-QOL scoresLung cancer survivorsHR-QOLAdvanced stage non-small cell lung cancerEarly-stage non-small cell lung cancerStage non-small cell lung cancerQuality of lifeCancer survivorsPhysical activityCell lung cancerEarly-stage diseasePredictors of quality of lifeHealth-related quality of lifeFollow-upHealth-related qualityHealthy weight maintenancePerformance statusAdvanced-stage non-small cell lung cancerLung cancerClinical significanceAssociated with older ageDiagnosed NSCLCTreatment-related side effectsImproving lifestyle behaviors during chemotherapy for breast cancer: The Lifestyle, Exercise, and Nutrition Early After Diagnosis (LEANer) Trial
Puklin L, Ferrucci L, Harrigan M, McGowan C, Zupa M, Cartmel B, Li F, Ligibel J, Spiegelman D, Sharifi M, Sanft T, Irwin M. Improving lifestyle behaviors during chemotherapy for breast cancer: The Lifestyle, Exercise, and Nutrition Early After Diagnosis (LEANer) Trial. Cancer 2024, 130: 2440-2452. PMID: 38470431, PMCID: PMC11214600, DOI: 10.1002/cncr.35280.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricConceptsPhysical activityDiet qualityHEI-2015Strength trainingLifestyle behaviorsHealthy Eating Index (HEI)-2015Breast cancerAssociated with baseline fatigueImprove physical activityImprove lifestyle behaviorsHigher HEI-2015Associated with higher oddsExercise interventionUsual careIntervention armIntervention groupBaseline fatigueLifestyle interventionYearlong interventionLower fatigueHigher oddsSecondary analysisLogistic regressionNewly diagnosed patientsStudy armsAssociation between diet quality and ovarian cancer risk and survival
Cao A, Esserman D, Cartmel B, Irwin M, Ferrucci L. Association between diet quality and ovarian cancer risk and survival. Journal Of The National Cancer Institute 2024, 116: 1095-1104. PMID: 38400738, PMCID: PMC11223874, DOI: 10.1093/jnci/djae040.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricConceptsOvarian cancer riskAll-cause mortalityAssociated with lower all-cause mortalityDiet qualityCancer riskOvarian cancer diagnosisAssociated with ovarian cancer riskPre-diagnosisProspective NIH-AARP DietHealthy Eating Index-2015Cancer diagnosisNIH-AARP DietStop Hypertension scoreCancer registry dataEpithelial ovarian cancerMediterranean diet scoreFood frequency questionnaireCox proportional hazards regressionOvarian cancerProportional hazards regressionHEI-2015Health StudyHypertension scoreDiet scoreFrequency questionnaireUnited States Long-Term Trends in Adult BMI (1959–2018): Unraveling the Roots of the Obesity Epidemic
Banas J, Cook A, Raygoza-Cortez K, Davila D, Irwin M, Ferrucci L, Humphries D. United States Long-Term Trends in Adult BMI (1959–2018): Unraveling the Roots of the Obesity Epidemic. International Journal Of Environmental Research And Public Health 2024, 21: 73. PMID: 38248537, PMCID: PMC10815706, DOI: 10.3390/ijerph21010073.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsNational Health Examination SurveyExamination SurveyObesity epidemicBody mass index (BMI) trendsOngoing obesity epidemicCritical public health challengeNutrition Examination SurveyHealth Examination SurveyRates of obesityPublic health challengePopulation-level interventionsBMI growth rateEffective population-level interventionsRace/ethnicityAverage BMIAdult BMINational HealthBMI trendsHigh school educationWhite adultsAge groupsBlack adultsHealth challengesBMIRacial disparities
2023
Exploring anxiety as an influencing factor of the impact of exercise and mind-body prehabilitation on cognitive functioning among women undergoing breast cancer surgery
Knoerl R, Sannes T, Giobbie-Hurder A, Frank E, McTiernan A, Winer E, Irwin M, Ligibel J. Exploring anxiety as an influencing factor of the impact of exercise and mind-body prehabilitation on cognitive functioning among women undergoing breast cancer surgery. Journal Of Psychosocial Oncology 2023, 42: 448-456. PMID: 38044630, DOI: 10.1080/07347332.2023.2282021.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCognitive functioningWorse cognitive functioningBreast cancer surgerySelf-report measuresTime of diagnosisAssessment of anxietyBreast cancerCancer surgeryCognitive functionGreater anxietyAnxiety managementPrehabilitation interventionsAnxietyLinear modelingFunctioningSignificant anxietyAcademic cancer centerImpact of exerciseImpact of baselinePrevalence of anxietyParticipantsOne-unit decreaseStudy enrollmentLinear regression modelingCancer Center
Clinical Trials
Current Trials
Trial of Exercise and Lifestyle (TEAL) Intervention
HIC ID2000032524RolePrincipal InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date06/30/2026Recruiting Participants
News & Links
News
- December 09, 2024
Dr. Melinda Irwin on Yale Cancer Answers: Approaches to Being Active and Eating Well for Cancer Prevention and Survivorship
- November 07, 2024
Yale Ob/Gyn Faculty Present the Latest in Gynecologic Oncology at Memorial Conference
- October 31, 2024
YCC Publications 2024
- October 07, 2024
Caring for Metastatic Breast Cancer: A Conference for Patients and Caregivers
Related Links
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Contacts
Chronic Disease Epidemiology
PO Box 208034, 60 College Street
New Haven, CT 06520-8034
United States
Locations
60 College Street
Academic Office
Ste 428
New Haven, CT 06510
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