Electra Paskett, associate director of Population Sciences at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute, has been elected president of the American Society of Preventive Oncology. The society promotes cancer prevention and control research.

Paskett, who is co-leader of the Cancer Control Program at Ohio State’s Comprehensive Cancer Center, served two years as president-elect of the society before becoming president in March. Paskett holds the Marion N. Rowley Designated Chair in Cancer Research and is a professor in Ohio State’s College of Public Health.

The society is the primary association for cancer control scientists. A main contribution has been its continued focus on the career development of junior investigators through the years in defining and directing the development of cancer prevention and control research.

The organization strives to stimulate development and communication of information on the causes of human cancer, including environmental exposures, lifestyle, and host susceptibility states, and to encourage the development and evaluation of new methods and programs for the prevention and early detection of cancer.

Other objectives include reviewing and monitoring programs directed toward reducing cancer incidence, mortality, and morbidity; assisting in professional and public education related to cancer prevention; and forming advisory groups to provide expertise to appropriate scientific, public health and governmental organizations and agencies, and to private industrial and labor organizations.

The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center-James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute is one of only 40 NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers in the United States and the only freestanding cancer hospital in the Midwest. Ranked among the top 20 cancer hospitals in the nation, The James is the 172-bed adult patient-care component of the cancer program at The Ohio State University.