Kimberly A. Bertrand, ScD

Associate Professor, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine

Biography

Dr. Bertrand’s research focuses primarily on the epidemiology of cancer, with an emphasis on understanding racial disparities in incidence and outcomes. She is currently Multiple Principal Investigator of the Black Women’s Health Study (BWHS), a prospective cohort study of over 59,000 self-identified Black women begun in 1995. Dr. Bertrand is actively involved in several epidemiologic studies to evaluate risk factors for high mammographic density, a strong independent predictor of breast cancer, and the role mammographic density and other risk factors may play in breast tumor aggressiveness in this and other populations. In addition, she leads research to identify factors that explain racial disparities in multiple myeloma.

Publications

  • Published 1/17/2026

    Sherr HR, Soliman AS, Bertrand KA, Hirko KA. Persistent poverty and breast cancer incidence by tumor subtype: intersections of rural/urban residence and race within USA Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results Registries, 2017 to 2021. Cancer Causes Control. 2026 Jan 17; 37(2):26. PMID: 41546752.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 11/10/2025

    Troisi R, Hatch EE, Bertrand K, Strohsnitter WC, Huo D, Curry M, Hyer M, Palmer JA, Gierach G, Titus L. Sexual behavior and sexual identity in female offspring of women exposed in utero to diethylstilbestrol (DES). J Dev Orig Health Dis. 2025 Nov 10; 16:e41. PMID: 41208278.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 11/4/2025

    Wang SS, Bertrand KA, Deubler EL, Chao CR, Birmann BM, Teras LR, Rosner BA, McCullough M, Shu YH, Wang K, Zhong C, Cauble EL, Patel AV, Lacey JV, Cockburn M. Prospective pooled analyses of ambient ultraviolet radiation levels and risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and multiple myeloma. Am J Epidemiol. 2025 Nov 04; 194(11):3148-3157. PMID: 39745801.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 10/14/2025

    Holder EX, Szalat R, Palmer JR, Bertrand KA. Neighborhood disadvantage and multiple myeloma incidence in the Black Women's Health Study. Int J Epidemiol. 2025 Oct 14; 54(6). PMID: 41206638.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 8/19/2025

    Sherr HR, Soliman AS, Bertrand KA, Hirko KA. Persistent poverty and late-stage breast cancer diagnosis in the USA: impacts of rural residence, race, and time within Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registries, 2004 to 2021. Cancer Causes Control. 2025 Nov; 36(11):1589-1597. PMID: 40828194.

    Read at: PubMed

View All 168 Publications:   View Full Profile in BUMC

Other Positions

  • Associate Professor, Slone Epidemiology Center
    Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
  • Center Faculty Member, Slone Epidemiology Center
    Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
  • Member, BU-BMC Cancer Center
    Boston University
  • Epidemiologist, Slone Epidemiology Center
    Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
  • Member, Genome Science Institute
    Boston University

Websites

Education

  • Harvard School of Public Health, ScD
  • Boston University School of Public Health, MPH
  • Brown University, BS

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