Jefferey L Burgess, MD, MPH, MS

Cancer Prevention and Control Program
Jefferey L Burgess, MD, MPH, MS

Biography

After graduating from the University of Washington School of Medicine, Dr. Burgess completed a residency in Emergency Medicine, a Medical Toxicology fellowship, and a master’s degree in Toxicology and Industrial Hygiene at the University of Arizona, followed by an Occupational and Environmental Medicine fellowship and a Master of Public Health at the University of Washington. He returned to the University of Arizona in 1997 and is currently a Professor and Director of the Center for Firefighter Health Collaborative Research at the University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health. Dr. Burgess also previously worked as an Emergency Medicine physician, Medical Toxicologist and Occupational and Environmental Medicine physician.

Cancer Focus

Dr. Burgess' research has included evaluation and prevention of carcinogenic exposures to firefighters, miners, Native Americans, and populations exposed to arsenic in their water and food. Much of his recent research has involved firefighters, a group known to have increased cancer rates compared to the general population. Working in partnership with the Tucson Fire Department, his research team has identified effective interventions to reduce fireground exposures. In addition, the team has identified circulating microRNA and DNA methylation markers of increased cancer risk among firefighters. Dr. Burgess also is leading a research team that established and is now expanding the Fire Fighter Cancer Cohort Study (FFCCS), a national multicenter prospective study including exposure measurement, biomarkers of effect and cancer outcomes.