Basic Information

Name: Marleah Dean Kruzel
Title: Professor
Institution: University of South Florida
Discipline: Communication studies
Years of experience: 12

Research

Primary methodological research approach:

• Oncology

Focus of research in communication and healthcare:

• Mixed methods

Description

Three keywords describing expertise and interest:

1. Cancer, genetic risk, translational research

Description of field of expertise, major interests, and consultation topics:

healthcare communication, patient advocacy and engagement, translational research

Brief biography:

Marleah Dean Kruzel (PhD, Texas A&M University) is a professor, researcher, and speaker in healthcare communication. Her research focuses on communication of genetic risk information, has been published in numerous peer-reviewed journals, and funded by the National Cancer Institute, American Cancer Society, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute. The daughter of a 28-year-old breast cancer survivor and BRCA2 previvor herself, she is committed to patient engagement and science communication. For example, she participated in the CDC’s “Bring Your Brave” campaign designed to educate and inspire young women regarding breast cancer risk, frequently gives community presentations and is featured on podcasts to disseminate her about research results. Dr. Dean Kruzel is also a Scientific Advisory Board member for the non-profits FORCE and My Faulty Gene.