Lalita Shevde-Samant, Ph.D.
Professor of Pathology and Director, Cancer Biology Graduate Theme. Associate Director for Education and Training, O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center
Dr. Lalita Shevde-Samant received her Ph.D. in Cancer Immunology at the Cancer Research Institute, University of Bombay, India. Following postdoctoral training in metastasis research at The Hershey Medical Center, Penn State University and at UAB, she was on faculty at the University of South Alabama before being recruited in 2012 to the Department of Pathology at UAB. She is currently Professor in the Department of Pathology and Senior Scientist in the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center.
In addition to leading her research program, Dr. Shevde-Samant has served for 12 years in the leadership of the Cancer Biology Ph.D. program at two institutions. She continues to serve in this capacity, while also playing an important role in the curriculum management and admissions process. Dr. Shevde-Samant is the MPI of the NCI R25 YES Grant ‘Roadmap for America’s Cancer Explorers for the 21st Century (RACE21)’ to build an innovative and effective pipeline to cancer research careers, especially for students underrepresented in cancer research.
Dr. Shevde-Samant is an elected Board member of Cancer Biology Training Consortium (CABTRAC), the national consortium that interfaces with institutions in the United States and the NCI’s Cancer Training Branch to develop innovative and multidisciplinary training mechanisms needed to produce the highest quality cancer scientists.
Dr. Shevde-Samant is committed to expanding opportunities for the next generation of cancer scientists. She initiated an organized development of a program in the Metastasis Research Society (MRS) to train and mentor the next generation of metastasis investigators. This Early Career Ambassadors of Metastasis Research (ECAM) program has ~120 mentees worldwide who now interact with senior metastasis researchers for career development and fills a much-needed gap to foster the development of young investigators in the area of metastasis research.
