Dr. Mary Ward is a senior investigator in the Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology
Branch in the NCI Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics. Her research focuses on two
areas: (1) the evaluation of cancer risks associated with environmental exposure to pesticides and other chemicals; and (2) the role N-nitroso compounds and their precursors play in cancer
development, particularly exposure to nitrate from drinking water and diet. Dr. Ward has
incorporated state-of-the-art exposure assessment into her studies by developing interdisciplinary collaborations with environmental scientists, environmental engineers, hydrogeologists,
geographers, and biostatisticians. She served as a reviewer for the Environmental Protection
Agency’s drinking water research program and on the Institute of Medicine Committee on the
evaluation of a GIS-based model for estimating exposure to Agent Orange.