Faculty

Assistant Professor Jennifer Crook is a nationally recognized nutritional epidemiologist and nurse scientist whose work investigates how nutritional insecurity becomes biologically embedded to drive inflammation, symptom burden and cancer disparities. Her research integrates omics‑based biomarkers, nutritional epidemiology and community‑engaged methods to develop clinically actionable tools that advance equitable cancer outcomes. In a previous faculty role at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Crook contributed to national cancer disparities initiatives and decentralized clinical trial models — work that earned her the AACR Patient Advocacy Award in Research. She has contributed to more than $24 million in external grant submissions across multidisciplinary cancer and nutrition research. A dedicated educator, Crook empowers future clinicians to advocate effectively for their patients, themselves, and their communities through evidence‑based and genomics‑informed practice.

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
• Reviewer, Public Health Nutrition
• Reviewer, Clinical Nursing 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, Nutrients Best Paper Award, 2023

Selected Professional Activities

• Chair, Nutritional Epidemiology Research Interest Section, American Society for Nutrition, 2026-2027
• Scholar, Summer Omics Nursing Institute, National Cancer Institute, 2026
• Chair, UCF Population Health Sciences Council Cancer Initiative
• Early Career Reviewer, Center for Scientific Review, National Institutes of Health
• Consultant, Minimal Risk Clinical Trials, Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center