Kathryn Schmitz, PhD, MPH
Professor, Hematology/Oncology, University of Pittsburgh UPMC Hillman Cancer Center
Highlights
- LBBC Medical Advisory Board member since 2024
Kathryn Schmitz, PhD, MPH, is professor of Hematology/Oncology in the Department of Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, and Leader, Moving Through Cancer Program at the University of Pittsburgh.
Dr. Schmitz’s primary research interest is the relationship between obesity and cancer. She has headed several influential studies on the role of physical activity on the development, prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation of cancer, including the PAL trial, a clinical trial testing the safety of weight training for women at risk for or living with lymphedema.
Experience & accolades
Expertise
- Oncology
- Exercise physiology
- Epidemiology
Education
- University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
- Senior Scholar, Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics
- University of Minnesota
- Post Graduate Research Fellow, Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology
- Queens College
- MS Edu, Exercise Physiology
- University of Minnesota
- MPH, Epidemiology
- PhD, Kinesiology
- University of North Carolina
- Bachelor’s in economics
Experience
- University of Pittsburgh (2022-Present)
- Professor of Medicine, Associate Director, Population Sciences (2024-Present)
- Leader, Moving Through Cancer Program (2022-Present)
- University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine (2005-2016)
- Professor (2012-2016)
- Associate Professor of Epidemiology (2009-2012)
- Assistant professor of epidemiology (2005-2009)
Awards & distinctions
- Citation Award, American College of Sports Medicine, 2022
- Global Leadership Award, Exercise Is Medicine, American College of Sports Medicine, 2023
- Hillman Senior Fellow for Innovative Cancer Research, 2023
- Distinguished Scientist Award, Society of Behavioral Medicine, 2022
- Outstanding Collaborative Research Team Award, The Oncology, Nutrition, and Exercise (ONE) Group, College of Medicine, Penn State University, 2021
- George Kotzias Award, Hellenic Society of Physiology, Greece, 2017
Professional memberships & board positions
- Founder, Moving Through Cancer initiative
- Beta Gamma Sigma, National Economics Honor Society (1984-Present)
- Sigma Xi, (Scientific Honor Society) (1997-Present)
- American College of Sports Medicine (Member, 1988-Present)
- Delta Omega, The Honorary Public Health Society (2001-Present)
- American Society for Preventive Oncology (2001-Present)
- The Obesity Society (2007-Present)
- National Lymphedema Network (2007-Present)
- American Heart Association Council on Nutrition and Physical Activity (2002-2003)
- International Society of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity (2003 - 2006)
- American Heart Association Council on Epidemiology and Prevention (2000-2006)
Publications
- Exercise Oncology: Prescribing Physical Activity Before and After a Cancer Diagnosis. Editors: Schmitz, Kathryn H. (Ed.) Springer Nature Switzerland, 2020.
- Essentials of Exercise Oncology, 1st Kathryn H. Schmitz, Anna Campbell, Anna Schwartz, co-authors. Under contract with Wolters Kluwer; due out Sept 2024.
- Moving Through Cancer. Kathryn H. Schmitz (with Gabriel Miller). Popular Press book from Chronicle Books.