Andrew Olshan, PhD
About
Dr. Olshan’s major interests include the epidemiology of cancer and reproductive, perinatal and pediatric outcomes. He has been the principal investigator for multiple NIH-, EPA-, and CDC-funded studies of adult and childhood cancers and reproductive and pediatric outcomes.
He is the current principal investigator for the Carolina Head and Neck Cancer Study and leads the North Carolina Center for Birth Defects Research and Prevention.
Dr. Olshan has been at UNC for over 30 years and has taught in both the cancer epidemiology and reproductive, perinatal and pediatric programs. He was epidemiology department chair from 2006 to 2018.
Andrew Olshan in the Gillings News
- Multi-institutional study to investigate thyroid cancer cases in NC
- Olshan, Desrosiers will use CDC grant to improve understanding of birth defects
- Public health in practice: NC Partnership for Excellence in Applied Epidemiology
- Gillings community members honored with 2022 awards for mentorship, teaching, research and service
- Olshan to serve as Gillings School interim associate dean for research
Representative Courses
Reproductive and Perinatal Epidemiology (EPID 851)
Advanced Cancer Epidemiology (EPID 775)
Research Activities
Cancer and reproductive, perinatal and pediatric epidemiology, including examination of environmental, social, and genetic risk factors; research in cancer outcomes and survivorship
Key Publications
A review of African American-white differences in risk factors for cancer: Prostate cancer. Danielle Backes, Leila Family, Lauren McCullough, Irina Mordukhovich, Katie O'Brien, Andrew Olshan, Hilda Razzaghi, Paul Reiter (2011). Cancer Causes and Control, 22(3), 341-357.
Discovery of genetic susceptibility factors for human birth defects: An opportunity for a national agenda. Charlotte Hobbs, Andrew Olshan, Gary Shaw (2011). American Journal of Medical Genetics, Part A, 155(8), 1794-1797.
Association of Paternal Age and Risk for Major Congenital Anomalies From the National Birth Defects Prevention Study, 1997 to 2004. Natalie Archer, Krista Crider, Owen Devine, Ridgely Green, Richard Olney, Andrew Olshan, Stuart Shapira (2010). Annals of Epidemiology, 20(3), 241-249.
Education
- Postdoctoral Fellow, Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, 1989
- PhD, Epidemiology, University of Washington, 1987
- MS, Epidemiology, University of Washington, 1982
- BA, Anthropology, Arizona State University, 1978