UAB Surgery Assistant Professor Lily Gutnik, M.D., has been selected as an inaugural member of the UAB Social Science and Justice Research (SSJR) consortium, a pilot initiative of the University-Wide Interdisciplinary Research Centers (UWRIC) Program.

The SSJR engages in multi-level research processes organized around four intersecting core initiatives: equity, justice, and empowerment; violence prevention and reduction; health equity and justice; and public policy analysis.

Gutnik's research and outreach have focused on the early detection of breast cancer in low-resource settings. As a Fulbright and Fogarty Fellow, she established the first breast screening initiative in Lilongwe, Malawi by training women of the community to administer breast exams.

"Health equity is the key to early intervention and treatment," says Gutnik. "The work of the SSSJ will help us to provide tools and resources to reach populations that may not otherwise receive necessary care."

As associate scientist, Gutnik will be able to participate in SSJR’s programs, workshops, seminars, and symposia, and benefit from SSJR-offered opportunities.