Biostatistics & Computational Biology Branch

Table of Contents
Mary V. Diaz Santana, Ph.D.
Mary V. Diaz Santana, Ph.D.
Principal Investigator
Tel 984-287-3823
[email protected]
P.O. Box 12233
Mail Drop B3-10
Durham, NC 27709

Research Summary

Mary Díaz Santana, Ph.D. is an epidemiologist with a primary focus on risk prediction modeling and broad experience in studying modifiable risk factors for chronic diseases, specifically breast cancer and diabetes. Dr. Díaz Santana received her Ph.D. in Epidemiology from the School of Public Health and Health Sciences at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst under the direction of Dr. Katherine Reeves. She joined the Biostatistics and Computational Biology Branch at NIEHS in 2018 as an IRTA postdoctoral fellow, where she gained further experience in improving methods for data analysis of epidemiological studies under the supervision of Dr. Clarice Weinberg. While completing her postdoctoral fellowship, she applied for and was awarded a position in the NIEHS Independent Research Scholar Program. Dr. Díaz Santana holds a secondary appointment in the NIEHS Epidemiology Branch.

The main goal of Dr. Díaz Santana’s research group is to improve risk assessment techniques for precision prevention, to lessen the burden of cancer and chronic diseases like diabetes in racial and ethnic minority women, especially Hispanic women. Compared to their non-Hispanic white counterparts, Hispanics in the US face higher risk of obesity, diabetes, and cancer. In Hispanic women, breast cancer is both a major cause of morbidity and the leading cause of cancer death. Additionally, socioeconomic inequalities render Hispanic women vulnerable to cancer disparities.

Breast cancer risk prediction models are ideally used as a tool in precision prevention for risk stratification, allowing for identification of high-risk women who would benefit the most from more frequent screening and targeted interventions. However, widely-used breast cancer risk prediction tools have not performed well in Hispanic women. As a chronic disease epidemiologist, Dr. Díaz Santana aims to advance health equity in racial and ethnic minority women by investigating the role of social and environmental determinants of health in risk prediction models, with the end goal of improving personalized risk prediction and screening recommendations, to reduce the incidence and mortality associated with these chronic diseases. As a result of her work, she hopes to accomplish the long-term goal of reducing health disparities in this vulnerable patient population.

Current research focus:
To develop a risk prediction tool, specific to individual Hispanic subgroups of women, that includes social and environmental determinants of health, and multi-ethnic polygenic risk scores to improve risk prediction specifically for Hispanic women.

Selected Publications

  1. Goldberg M, Díaz-Santana MV, O'Brien KM, Zhao S, Weinberg CR, Sandler DP. 2022. Gestational Hypertensive Disorders and Maternal Breast Cancer Risk in a Nationwide Cohort of 40,720 Parous Women. Epidemiology. 2022 Nov 1;33(6):868-879. doi: 10.1097/EDE.0000000000001511. Epub 2022 May 30. [Abstract Goldberg M, Díaz-Santana MV, O'Brien KM, Zhao S, Weinberg CR, Sandler DP. 2022. Gestational Hypertensive Disorders and Maternal Breast Cancer Risk in a Nationwide Cohort of 40,720 Parous Women. Epidemiology. 2022 Nov 1;33(6):868-879. doi: 10.1097/EDE.0000000000001511. Epub 2022 May 30.]
  2. O'Brien KM, Harmon QE, Jackson CL, Diaz-Santana MV, Taylor JA, Weinberg CR, Sandler DP. 2022. Vitamin D concentrations and breast cancer incidence among Black/African American and non-Black Hispanic/Latina women. Cancer. 2022 Jul 1;128(13):2463-2473. doi: 10.1002/cncr.34198. Epub 2022 Apr 25. [Abstract O'Brien KM, Harmon QE, Jackson CL, Diaz-Santana MV, Taylor JA, Weinberg CR, Sandler DP. 2022. Vitamin D concentrations and breast cancer incidence among Black/African American and non-Black Hispanic/Latina women. Cancer. 2022 Jul 1;128(13):2463-2473. doi: 10.1002/cncr.34198. Epub 2022 Apr 25.]
  3. Diaz-Santana MV, O'Brien KM, Park YM, Sandler DP, Weinberg CR. 2022. Persistence of Risk for Type 2 Diabetes After Gestational Diabetes Mellitus. Diabetes Care 2022 Apr 1;45(4):864-870. doi: 10.2337/dc21-1430. [Abstract Diaz-Santana MV, O'Brien KM, Park YM, Sandler DP, Weinberg CR. 2022. Persistence of Risk for Type 2 Diabetes After Gestational Diabetes Mellitus. Diabetes Care 2022 Apr 1;45(4):864-870. doi: 10.2337/dc21-1430.]
  4. O'Brien KM, Keil AP, Harmon QE, Jackson CL, White AJ, Díaz-Santana MV, Taylor JA, Sandler DP. 2022. Vitamin D Supplement Use and Risk of Breast Cancer by Race-Ethnicity. Epidemiology 2022 Jan 1;33(1):37-47. doi: 10.1097/EDE.0000000000001413. [Abstract O'Brien KM, Keil AP, Harmon QE, Jackson CL, White AJ, Díaz-Santana MV, Taylor JA, Sandler DP. 2022. Vitamin D Supplement Use and Risk of Breast Cancer by Race-Ethnicity. Epidemiology 2022 Jan 1;33(1):37-47. doi: 10.1097/EDE.0000000000001413.]
  5. Diaz-Santana MV, O'Brien KM, D'Aloisio AA, Regalado G, Sandler DP, Weinberg CR. 2020. Perinatal and postnatal exposures and risk of young-onset breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res. 2020 Aug 13;22(1):88. doi: 10.1186/s13058-020-01317-3. [Abstract Diaz-Santana MV, O'Brien KM, D'Aloisio AA, Regalado G, Sandler DP, Weinberg CR. 2020. Perinatal and postnatal exposures and risk of young-onset breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res. 2020 Aug 13;22(1):88. doi: 10.1186/s13058-020-01317-3.]
  6. Díaz Santana MV, Hankinson SE, Bigelow C, Sturgeon SR, Zoeller RT, Tinker L, Manson JAE, Calafat AM, Meliker JR, Reeves KW. 2019. Urinary concentrations of phthalate biomarkers and weight change among postmenopausal women: a prospective cohort study. Environ Health 2019 Mar 12;18(1):20. doi: 10.1186/s12940-019-0458-6. [Abstract Díaz Santana MV, Hankinson SE, Bigelow C, Sturgeon SR, Zoeller RT, Tinker L, Manson JAE, Calafat AM, Meliker JR, Reeves KW. 2019. Urinary concentrations of phthalate biomarkers and weight change among postmenopausal women: a prospective cohort study. Environ Health 2019 Mar 12;18(1):20. doi: 10.1186/s12940-019-0458-6.]
  7. Reeves KW, Díaz Santana M, Manson JE, Hankinson SE, Zoeller RT, Bigelow C, Sturgeon SR, Spiegelman D, Tinker L, Luo J, Chen B, Meliker J, Bonner MR, Cote ML, Cheng TD, Calafat AM. 2019. Urinary Phthalate Biomarker Concentrations and Postmenopausal Breast Cancer Risk. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2019 Oct 1;111(10):1059-1067. doi: 10.1093/jnci/djz002. [Abstract Reeves KW, Díaz Santana M, Manson JE, Hankinson SE, Zoeller RT, Bigelow C, Sturgeon SR, Spiegelman D, Tinker L, Luo J, Chen B, Meliker J, Bonner MR, Cote ML, Cheng TD, Calafat AM. 2019. Urinary Phthalate Biomarker Concentrations and Postmenopausal Breast Cancer Risk. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2019 Oct 1;111(10):1059-1067. doi: 10.1093/jnci/djz002.]
  8. Reeves KW, Santana MD, Manson JE, Hankinson SE, Zoeller RT, Bigelow C, Hou L, Wactawski-Wende J, Liu S, Tinker L, Calafat AM. 2019. Predictors of urinary phthalate biomarker concentrations in postmenopausal women. Environ Res. 2019 Feb;169:122-130. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2018.10.024. Epub 2018 Oct 30. [Abstract Reeves KW, Santana MD, Manson JE, Hankinson SE, Zoeller RT, Bigelow C, Hou L, Wactawski-Wende J, Liu S, Tinker L, Calafat AM. 2019. Predictors of urinary phthalate biomarker concentrations in postmenopausal women. Environ Res. 2019 Feb;169:122-130. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2018.10.024. Epub 2018 Oct 30.]
  9. Reeves KW, Schneider S, Xue J, Kannan K, Mason H, Johnson M, Makari-Judson G, Santana MD. 2018. Bisphenol-A in breast adipose tissue of breast cancer cases and controls. Environ Res 2018 Nov;167:735-738. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2018.08.033. Epub 2018 Aug 31. [Abstract Reeves KW, Schneider S, Xue J, Kannan K, Mason H, Johnson M, Makari-Judson G, Santana MD. 2018. Bisphenol-A in breast adipose tissue of breast cancer cases and controls. Environ Res 2018 Nov;167:735-738. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2018.08.033. Epub 2018 Aug 31.]
  10. Díaz Santana MV, Eber S, Barth S, Cypel Y, Dursa E, Schneiderman A. 2017. Health-related Quality of Life Among U.S. Veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom-Results From a Population-Based Study. Mil Med 2017 Nov;182(11):e1885-e1891. doi: 10.7205/MILMED-D-17-00020. [Abstract Díaz Santana MV, Eber S, Barth S, Cypel Y, Dursa E, Schneiderman A. 2017. Health-related Quality of Life Among U.S. Veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom-Results From a Population-Based Study. Mil Med 2017 Nov;182(11):e1885-e1891. doi: 10.7205/MILMED-D-17-00020.]
  11. Díaz-Santana MV, Suárez Pérez EL, Ortiz Martínez AP, Guzmán Serrano M, Pérez Cardona CM. 2016. Association Between the Hypertriglyceridemic Waist Phenotype, Prediabetes, and Diabetes Mellitus Among Adults in Puerto Rico. J Immigr Minor Health 2016 Feb;18(1):102-9. doi: 10.1007/s10903-014-9985-y. [Abstract Díaz-Santana MV, Suárez Pérez EL, Ortiz Martínez AP, Guzmán Serrano M, Pérez Cardona CM. 2016. Association Between the Hypertriglyceridemic Waist Phenotype, Prediabetes, and Diabetes Mellitus Among Adults in Puerto Rico. J Immigr Minor Health 2016 Feb;18(1):102-9. doi: 10.1007/s10903-014-9985-y.]
  12. Agosto-Arroyo E, Climent C, Vélez R, Nazario CM, Díaz MV. 2015. Expression of Basal-like Biomarkers in Triple Negative Invasive Breast Carcinoma in Puerto Rico. P R Health Sci J 2015 Jun;34(2):89-92. [Abstract Agosto-Arroyo E, Climent C, Vélez R, Nazario CM, Díaz MV. 2015. Expression of Basal-like Biomarkers in Triple Negative Invasive Breast Carcinoma in Puerto Rico. P R Health Sci J 2015 Jun;34(2):89-92.]