Biography:

Dr. Melissa Herbst-Kralovetz is a tenured Professor at the University of Arizona College of Medicine–Phoenix, with appointments in Basic Medical Sciences and Obstetrics and Gynecology, and a leader within the University of Arizona Cancer Center (UACC). She serves as Director of the Translational Women’s Health Research Program and the Women’s Health Microbiome Initiative.
Her research focuses on gynecologic cancers, with an emphasis on cervical and endometrial cancer. Her work investigates how the cervicovaginal microenvironment and microbiome influence cancer risk, persistence, and progression, as well as disparities in outcomes. She integrates clinical biospecimens, advanced 3D human model systems, and multi-omics approaches to develop novel, non-invasive diagnostics and precision prevention strategies.
Dr. Herbst-Kralovetz is the Contact MPI for the NCI-funded U54 Partnership for Native American Cancer Prevention, leading efforts to address cancer disparities in Indigenous populations. Her research is supported by the NIH and multiple foundations.
A recognized leader in women’s health research and innovation, she has received honors including the Phoenix Business Journal’s “40 Under 40,” the American Society of Reproductive Immunology’s J. Christian Herr Award, and the 2025 AZBio Bioscience Researcher of the Year. She is also actively engaged in translational and entrepreneurial efforts to advance new technologies in gynecologic cancer detection and prevention.