Faculty

As a critical care- and case management-trained registered nurse, military veteran and dependent, and food pantry volunteer, Dr. Crook had the opportunity to work in multiple states in the U.S., where she identified not only the existence of widespread food and nutritional insecurity but a connection between nutrition, chronic inflammation and chronic disease. Her research program focuses on two major areas: 1) epidemiological approaches to understanding how nutritional insufficiency affects the epigenetic regulation of inflammation and immunity in cancer, and 2) identifying and creatively addressing cultural, age, and gender nutritional decision factors contributing to cancer health disparities in nutritionally insecure individuals. Dr. Crook serves as a consultant for the Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center for the Minimal Risk Clinical Trials. Her passion is to create a world where equitable nutrition status is prioritized in the prevention and treatment of cancer and other chronic disease diseases.

Education

• PhD in Nursing Sciences, University of Florida
• BSN, Texas Tech University Health Science Center
• ADN, Alvin Community College

Selected Editorial Activities

• Reviewer, Cancer, Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention
• Reviewer, Nutrition Reviews
• Reviewer, Nutrition Research

Selected Awards & Honors

• American Association for Cancer Research Minority & Minority Serving Institution Faculty Scholar in Cancer Research Award. 2024
• American Association for Cancer Research Patient Advocacy Award, 2023
• Finalist for Nutrients Best Paper Award, 2023
• Finalist for Nutrients Journal Best PhD Thesis Award, 2022

Selected Professional Activities

• NIH Early Career Reviewer, Center for Scientific Review of the National Institutes of Health
• Member, American Society for Nutrition
• Awards Reviewer, American Association for Cancer Research Women in Cancer Research (WICR) Committee Member
• Member, National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship Champions
• Member, American Association for Cancer Research Minorities in Cancer Research (MICR)