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Columbia University Medical Center NewsroomCUMC Expert Resources
| ![[picture of Sheila Rothman, Ph.D.]](http://www.cumc.columbia.edu/news/pics/rothman_sheila_90.jpg) Sheila Rothman, Ph.D.,
Research has long shown a relationship between Ashkenazi Jewish heritage and an elevated risk of breast cancer. But a recent paper in the American Journal of Public Health questions whether or not ethnicity is really the issue, citing major problems and inconsistencies with how these breast cancer population studies have been carried out. Sheila M. Rothman, Ph.D., professor of sociomedical sciences at the Center for the Study of Society and Medicine at Columbia University Medical Center, was the co-author and lead investigator on this study. She can discuss the specific flaws she uncovered with the body of research on breast cancer mutations in Ashkenazi Jews, as well as the negative consequences of linking entire segments of the population with genetic disease. A well-respected and prolific scientist, scholar, and author, Dr. Rothman has studied any number of issues related to human rights in medicine. Her many areas of research focus include public attitudes towards people with genetic or chronic diseases, stigmatization of the mentally ill, living organ donation, the risks of medical enhancement procedures, and more. She is the co-author of 2003's "The Pursuit of Perfection: The Promise and Perils of Medical Enhancement" and 2006's "Trust is Not Enough: Bringing Human Rights to Medicine," a collection of articles originally published in the The New York Review of Books. For press inquiries, please contact Elizabeth Streich (eas2125@columbia.edu or 212-305-6535) or Alex Lyda (mal2133@columbia.edu or 212-305-0820).
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