Nutrition student becomes first Marci Kramish Campbell Dissertation Award recipient

Carmina G. Valle, MPH

Nutrition doctoral student Carmina G. Valle, MPH, has been selected to receive a competitive $5,000 award for her dissertation research focused on cancer and the population sciences.

Valle, a student at UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, is receiving the first-ever Marci Kramish Campbell Dissertation Award, honoring deceased cancer researcher Marci Kramish Campbell, PhD.

Valle’s dissertation examines the feasibility and effectiveness of using online social networking to improve physical activity behaviors among young adult cancer survivors (between the ages of 18 and 39). This group is at an increased risk for second cancers, recurrence of their primary cancer, psychological distress and other issues as a result of their cancer and treatment. Previous research shows that regular physical activity can lower risk and enhance survivors’ quality of life and length of survival.

Valle has extensive professional experience at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), both with the Office of Cancer Survivorship and the Analytic Epidemiology Research Branch. From 2002-2004 she was a Presidential Management Fellow at the NCI.

She is a previous recipient of a UNC Lineberger Cancer Control Education Program Predoctoral Fellowship, the Ruth L. Kirchstein National Research Service Award from the Department of Nutrition, and the Caroline and Thomas Royster, Jr., Multi-Year Fellowship from The Graduate School at UNC-Chapel Hill.

Marci Kramish Campbell, PhD, was a national leader in cancer prevention and control, disparities and survivorship research. She was a professor of nutrition at the public health school, a member of UNC’s Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and program leader for cancer prevention and control at the Center, and member of the UNC Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention. She died from colon cancer in December, 2011.