Theresa Swift-Scanlon

Theresa Swift-Scanlan, Ph.D., RN, FAAN is an Ellen Fontaine Winston Distinguished Professor with the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Nursing, as well as the director of Biobehavioral Laboratory Services. Her program of research is focused on the epigenetics of chronic illness; specifically, the study of variables that mediate or moderate interactions between environmental influences, biology, and behavior.  She is passionate about teaching and education, and currently teaches Foundations of Biobehavioral Research and advises students in the PhD program.  

​

In addition to teaching, she devotes much of her time to servicing the medical community as a member of the American Association of Cancer Research, Sigma Theta Tau, and the International Society of Nurses in Genetics (ISONG). In addition to serving on various programmatic and administrative committees at the School and local University level, she serves on the ISONG Research Committee.

​

"I am particularly motivated to identify molecular biomarkers that can be utilized to improve risk assessment, early detection, and or targeted interventions for cancer and neurodegenerative disorders that share overlapping molecular pathways and clinical management challenges"