Marcia Cruz-Correa

Marcia Roxana Cruz-Correa (born March 14, 1969) is a Puerto Rican physician-scientist and gastroenterologist known for her work in gastrointestinal oncology, focusing on the genetics and prevention of gastrointestinal cancers. She is a professor at the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine and former executive director of the UPR Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Early life and education Cruz-Correa was born in California on March 14, 1969. She attended the University of Puerto Rico (UPR), earning a B.S. in general science, graduating magna cum laude in 1990. In 1995, she completed her M.D. with honors at University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine. Following medical school, Cruz-Correa completed an internship and residency in internal medicine at the same institution from 1995 to 1998. Her research has centered on gastrointestinal cancers, particularly the genetic and environmental factors contributing to cancer risk. She has explored strategies for cancer prevention, including the use of endoscopic techniques for cancer screening and early intervention. Through clinical trials, Cruz-Correa works on developing new drugs, treatments, and discovering new methods to support the growing community dedicated to cancer research. She has contributed to understanding how these conditions progress and has developed therapeutic approaches to intercept cancer development in high-risk patients.

Cruz-Correa served on the governing board of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), chaired the AACR Minorities in Cancer Research Council and Women in Cancer Research Council, and was elected to the governing boards of the American Association for Cancer Institutes and the Alliance Foundation for Clinical Oncology in 2021.

In 2018, Cruz-Correa cofounded Pan American Center Oncology (PanOncology an organization focus on bringing Clinical Trials to Hispanic patients in Puerto Rico. The organization have conducted over 150 clinical trials helping to approve over 15 drugs by the FDA.

In 2023 Cruz-Correa was awarded Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.