Rutu Aniruddha Rathod, PhD, MPH, MBBS

Research Program: Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences Faculty Rank: Assistant Professor Campus: University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College: College of Public Health Department: Epidemiology

Cancer Research Interest

• Disease Site Focus: Pediatric Oncology, Thoracic/ Lung, Gynecology
• Research Focus Area: Prevention, Informatics, Detection
• Type of Research: Population Sciences
• Research Keywords: Epigenetics, Epidemiology, GIS
• Research Interest Statement: My research integrates geospatial and epigenetic methodologies to study the complex interactions between environmental exposures and cancer outcomes. My goal is to investigate how neighborhood-level environmental factors influence epigenetic modifications and contribute to disparities in cancer risk and outcomes. I aim to identify specific environmental exposures that induce epigenetic changes, examine the geographic clustering of these alterations, and assess the role of epigenetic biomarkers in cancer susceptibility and outcomes. By bridging spatial analysis and molecular epidemiology, my work seeks to uncover the mechanisms underlying cancer disparities, with the goal of informing public health interventions and advancing precision medicine.

Contact Information

• Email Address: RARathod@uams.edu
• Profiles Research Networking Software: View Profile

Active Grants

• State of Arkansas – ABCRP 2025-2027
  “ABCRP Neighborhood Influences on Risk of Breast Cancer in Rural Arkansas”
  Principal Investigator
  9/1/2025 – 8/31/2027

Recent Publications

• Rathod R, Beauchamp A, Shahan K, [et al.]. Neighborhood Factors related to Cancer Screening in Texas: a spatioecological study. American journal of preventive medicine. 2024. PMID: 39722303. PMCID: PMC11996198.
• Hardgrave H, Jeon H, Wells A, [et al., including Patel RB]. Kidney Utilization in the Context of a Shifting Donor Landscape in the United States. Transplantation. 2024. PMID: 40101109.
• Hoang TT, Rathod RA, Rosales O, [et al.]. Residential proximity to oil and gas developments and childhood cancer survival. Cancer. 2024 130(21):3724-3733. PMID: 38922855.
• Patel R, Kwon D, Hovstadius M, Tiersten A. Patterns in use of palliative care in older patients with metastatic breast cancer: A National Cancer Database analysis. Journal of geriatric oncology. 2024 15(7):101840. PMID: 39095312.
• Yi S, Rathod RA, Natchimuthu VS, [et al.]. Geographic Accessibility and Completion of Initial Low-Dose CT-Based Lung Cancer Screening in an Urban Safety-Net Population. Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network : JNCCN. 2024 22(5):308-314. PMID: 38670152. PMCID: PMC12207678.
• Sajisevi M, Nguyen K, Callas P, [et al., including Patel R]. Oncologic Safety of Close Margins in Patients With Low- to Intermediate-Grade Major Salivary Gland Carcinoma. JAMA otolaryngology-- head & neck surgery. 2023. PMID: 38095911. PMCID: PMC10722387.
• Rao SM, Knott PD, Sweeny L, [et al., including Patel R]. Microvascular Free Flap Outcomes in Maxillectomy Defects from Invasive Fungal Sinusitis. The Laryngoscope. 2023. PMID: 37772913.
• Gottsponer JA, Baker DL, Osborn T, [et al., including Patel RB]. Non-insulinoma pancreatogenous hypoglycemia syndrome due to nesidioblastosis following bariatric Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. Journal of surgical case reports. 2023 2023(2):rjad050. PMID: 36811071. PMCID: PMC9939044.
• Giorgakis E, Estrada MM, Wells A, [et al., including Patel R]. Women Referred for Liver Transplant Are Less Likely to Be Transplanted Irrespective of Socioeconomic Status. Transplant international : official journal of the European Society for Organ Transplantation. 2023 36:11667. PMID: 38020747. PMCID: PMC10651715.
• Fletchinger T, Jensen HK, Wells A, [et al., including Patel RB]. Impact of Prolonged Cold Ischemia Time on One Year Kidney Transplant Outcomes. Transplantation proceedings. 2022 54(8):2170-2173. PMID: 36180253.
• Rathod R, Zhang H, Karmaus W, [et al.]. Association of childhood BMI trajectory with post-adolescent and adult lung function is mediated by pre-adolescent DNA methylation. Respiratory research. 2022 23(1):194. PMID: 35906571. PMCID: PMC9335987.
• Hardgrave H, Burdine L, Patel R, Giorgakis E. Negative COVID-19 Plasma PCR Following COVID-19+ Donor Kidney Transplant. Transplantation. 2022. PMID: 35642956.
• Fung MA, Vidal CI, Armbrecht EA, [et al., including Patel R]. Appropriate use criteria for ancillary diagnostic testing in dermatopathology: New recommendations for 11 tests and 220 clinical scenarios from the American Society of Dermatopathology Appropriate Use Criteria Committee. Journal of cutaneous pathology. 2022 49(3):231-245. PMID: 34536035.
• Rathod R, Rathod A, Rahimabad PK, [et al.]. Methylation of Host Genes Associated with Coronavirus Infection from Birth to 26 Years. Genes. 2021 12(8). PMID: 34440372. PMCID: PMC8392033.
• Rathod R, Zhang H, Karmaus W, [et al.]. BMI trajectory in childhood is associated with asthma incidence at young adulthood mediated by DNA methylation. Allergy, asthma, and clinical immunology : official journal of the Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 2021 17(1):77. PMID: 34301314. PMCID: PMC8299682.
• Patel R, Solatikia F, Zhang H, [et al.]. Sex-specific associations of asthma acquisition with changes in DNA methylation during adolescence. Clinical and experimental allergy : journal of the British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 2021 51(2):318-328. PMID: 33150670.