Amanda J. Pierz, MSc (she/her)

From 2017 to 2020, Amanda served as the primary Research Coordinator for Dr. Philip Castle's research projects surrounding HPV-associated cancers, specifically cervical cancer. This work centered on HPV vaccination as a primary prevention strategy and secondary prevention strategies using screening and treatment modalities for chronic HPV infection and related abnormalities in low-resource settings. A significant amount of this research portfolio focused on cervical cancer as an HIV-associated cancer and sought to understand effectiveness of primary and secondary prevention methods in people living with HIV.

 

In her role, she provided administrative and research support for several projects and initiatives funded by the NIIH/NCI, USAID and CDC including: 

• HIV/HPV Cancer Prevention, Treatment & Pathogenesis: Rwanda/Einstein Consortium,

• Building Research Capacity to Address the Challenge of Non Communicable Diseases and Injuries in Rwanda

• The GUKORANA Research Center 

• Cervical Cancer Screening Strategies in HIV-Infected Women Living in Cameroon

• A Randomized Clinical Trial to Assess the Effectiveness of Ablative Treatments for Cervical-Cancer Risk Reduction in HIV+ Women living in Mozambique

• Demonstration Project to Increase Cervical Cancer Screening Coverage in the US-Affiliated Pacific Islands (USAPI)

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Amanda and Dr. Castle pictured with colleagues from the CDC and the Guam Department of Public Health and Social Services during a meeting at the Governor's Complex in in central Hagåtña, Guam during Cervical Cancer Awareness Month in 2020

 

 

Coupled with the rise of breast cancer cases in SSA, the GUKORANA team in Rwanda identified the need for a review of facilitators and barriers to cervical cancer care and early detection of breast cancer on patient-, provider-, and system-levels in Sub-Saharan African (SSA) settings. As part of her work with Dr. Castle, Amanda led a scoping review to identify and map out the available literature to inform future research objectives in health service delivery for SSA national health systems, especially in the context of the global campaign to eliminate cervical cancer.

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