Rate My Professor Jiali Han

Jiali Han, PhD, serves as Professor and Chair of the Department of Epidemiology at the Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health, Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis. He is also the PhD Program Director in Epidemiology, Consultation Core Director at the IU Simon Cancer Center, Rachel Cecile Efroymson Professor in Cancer Research at the IU Simon Cancer Center, and Adjunct Professor of Dermatology at the IU School of Medicine. Han earned his PhD in Biological Sciences in Public Health from Harvard University in 2004 and a BS in Biochemistry/Molecular Biology from Nankai University. After completing his doctorate, he joined the faculties of Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Public Health, rising to Associate Professor of Epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health and Associate Professor of Medicine and Dermatology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School. In 2013, he relocated to Indianapolis to take up his current positions.

Han specializes in genetic and molecular epidemiology of cancer etiology, prevention, and outcomes, with key research on genetic susceptibility to skin cancer, including keratinocyte carcinoma, pigmentary traits, and integrative functional analyses of associated genetic variants. His investigations extend to global health, data science, pharmaco-epidemiology, and opioid response in tanning bed users. He has published over 240 original research articles in leading journals. Notable publications include "A genome-wide association study identifies novel alleles associated with hair color and skin pigmentation" (PLoS Genetics, 2008); "Rotating night shifts and risk of skin cancer in the Nurses’ Health Study" (Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 2011); "Genome-wide association study identifies novel susceptibility loci for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma" (Nature Communications, 2016); and "Genome-wide meta-analysis identifies eight new susceptibility loci for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma" (Nature Communications, 2020). As principal investigator on a dozen NIH grants and key investigator on multiple NIH-funded projects, Han leads international consortia on skin cancer genetics. He has mentored over 40 graduate students, fellows, and junior faculty, many pursuing global academic careers. Han serves as an ad hoc reviewer for over 100 peer-reviewed journals, has chaired sessions for scientific societies, and delivered invited lectures, workshops, and a keynote at the 6th Africa International Biotechnology and Biomedical Conference.