About

Caryn Lerman, Ph.D., is an Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania. She serves as the Director of the Neuroscience of Behavior Initiative and Co-Director of the Penn Medicine Neuroscience Center at the University of Pennsylvania. Additionally, she holds the John H. Glick Professorship and is the Senior Deputy Director of the Abramson Cancer Center. Dr. Lerman is also the Vice Dean for Strategic Initiatives at the Perelman School of Medicine. Her research focuses on translating neuroscience, pharmacology, genetics, and behavioral science into the development of improved interventions for health risk behavior change. She is a licensed clinical psychologist and has received certification as an Executive Coach from the Teleos Leadership Institute. Her work emphasizes understanding and modifying health-related behaviors through interdisciplinary approaches, contributing significantly to the fields of psychiatry and behavioral medicine.

Research topics

• Medicine
• Psychiatry
• Environmental health
• Nursing

Selected publications

• Abstract 6350: Social media and technology preferences among colorectal cancer patients

  Cancer Research · 2026-04-03

  article

  Abstract Background: Knowledge, attitude, and beliefs impact participant engagement in genetics and genomics research. However, there is still room to better understand how information is disseminated within the community. The widespread use of smartphones has made health information more accessible, but understanding the devices and platforms used, as well as usage frequency is essential for effective health education. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 57 colorectal cancer (CRC) patients aged 18+ recruited at two Los Angeles area hospitals. The survey assessed knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs regarding cancer genetics/ genomic testing, as well as social media and technological device usage and preferences. Recruitment and survey administration were based on each participant’s preferred language. Results: The average age of participants was 53.96 years (SD = 10.38). Most, 66.7%, reported using social media at varying frequencies, while 33.3% reported never using social media. ​ Among daily social media users, Facebook was the most popular platform (48.7%), followed by WhatsApp (36.8%), TikTok (35.1%), and Instagram (24.3%). ​ Regarding access to technology, all participants reported owning a smartphone, while only 26% had access to a tablet and 22% had access to a laptop or desktop. ​ Notably, 64% of participants reported needing assistance to access Zoom.​ The majority (63%) of participants were male, and 64.9% reported an annual household income of less than $25,000. Conclusion: These findings indicate that smartphones are the primary device utilized by study participants to access online educational materials and videos. Social media platforms could be effective to disseminate health education materials (as 66.7% used it). However, relying solely on this would exclude the one in three participants who reported not using social media at all. While Zoom offers an alternative to overcome transportation and accessibility barriers, 64% of participants require assistance to use it, highlighting the need for dedicated support from research staff. Future research should explore how patients seek information through social media to develop effective health education materials. Citation Format: Itzya B. Ulloa, Daisy Hernandez, Charité N. Ricker, Elena Taylor, Rosa Barahona, Blanca Ovalle, Bo Y. Wang, Caryn Lerman, Julie O. Culver, Juan P. Lewinger, Mariana C. Stern, John D. Carpten, Heinz Josef Lenz, Lourdes Baezconde-Garbanati. Social media and technology preferences among colorectal cancer patients [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2026; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2026 Apr 17-22; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2026;86(7 Suppl):Abstract nr 6350.

  PublisherDOI

• Supplemental Table 2 from Secondary Lung Cancer among Survivors of Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer: A Population-Based Study

  2025-09-02

  articleOpen access

  <p>Supplemental Table 2 shows treatments received by subsequent malignant neoplasm status.</p>

  PublisherDOI

• Supplemental Figure 2 from Secondary Lung Cancer among Survivors of Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer: A Population-Based Study

  2025-09-02

  articleOpen access

  <p>Supplemental Figure 2 shows overall 5-year survival curves by subsequent malignant neoplasm (SMN) type from SMN diagnosis among those with primary adolescent and young adult (AYA) (a) female breast cancer, (b) cervical/uterine cancer, (c) Hodgkin lymphoma who were diagnosed between 1998 and 2020 (California Cancer Registry Data). Shaded areas represent 95% confidence intervals.</p>

  PublisherDOI

• Abstract 7487: Genetic and genomic knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs among Hispanic/Latinos with colorectal cancer

  Cancer Research · 2025-04-21

  article

  Abstract Background: Knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs (KAB) about genetics impacts engagement in genetics and genomics research, but there is a lack of data about these constructs among Hispanic/Latinos (H/L). Methods: Adult H/L patients with colorectal cancer were recruited at a public (Los Angeles General) and a private (USC Norris Cancer Hospital) hospital to complete a cross-sectional survey assessing KAB. Recruitment and survey administration was done in Spanish or English. Results: Preliminary analysis of 56 surveys found that most participants were from the public hospital (93%), born outside the US (84%), Spanish speaking (71%), and male (63%); median age was 55 years and acculturation was low [1.89 (SD 1.25); scale 1-5]. Low to mid-range scores were found for genetic literacy [3.45 (SD 1.49); scale 1-7], genetic knowledge [9.63 (SD 6.03); scale 0-25], cancer knowledge [2.20 (SD 1.24); scale 0-5]; and tumor genomics knowledge [3.62 (SD 0.78); scale 0-6]. Although 51% agreed they would want to be contacted for future research, 33% expressed uncertainty. When asked about genetic research, > 90% agreed it is medical progress. Almost 90% would want to know if their disease was hereditary, >80% would inform relatives about genetic results, and 29% agreed they were concerned about genetic testing impacting their ability to stay in this country. Conclusion: Participants had limited genetic literacy, genetic, cancer and tumor genomics knowledge. Most expressed interest and positive feelings towards genetic testing and genomic research; however, there were uncertainties and concerns to consider in future research to improve H/L engagement in genetics research. Citation Format: Charite Ricker, Daisy Hernandez, Itzya Ulloa, Elena Taylor, Blanca Ovalle, Bo Yuan, Juan Pablo Lewinger, Rosa Barahona, Caryn Lerman, Julie O. Culver, Mariana Stern, John Carpten, Heinz-Josef Lenz, Lourdes A. Baezconde-Garbanati. Genetic and genomic knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs among Hispanic/Latinos with colorectal cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2025; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2025 Apr 25-30; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2025;85(8_Suppl_1):Abstract nr 7487.

  PublisherDOI

• A multi-site study examining the tobacco withdrawal trajectory in people with tobacco and cannabis co-use

  Drug and Alcohol Dependence · 2025-07-03

  articleOpen access

  BACKGROUND: Approximately 30 % of people who use tobacco also use cannabis, and rates of co-use are rising. Relative to people who use tobacco alone (TO), individuals who co-use tobacco and cannabis (TC) experience greater difficulty with tobacco cessation, yet mechanisms underlying this phenomenon remain unexplored. Leveraging data from a multi-site, double-blind clinical trial for tobacco cessation, we compared the trajectory of tobacco withdrawal, a strong predictor of relapse, between TC and TO during 11-weeks of tobacco treatment. METHODS: People seeking treatment for tobacco were randomized to one of three arms (placebo, nicotine patch or varenicline) and followed for 11-weeks. Participants were parsed according to their cannabis use status determined by a cannabis-positive urine toxicology at screen (N = 1246). We selected participants with end-of-treatment biochemically verified 7-day point prevalence tobacco abstinence (N = 330; TC, n = 55 and TO, n = 275) and examined group differences in tobacco withdrawal severity using the Minnesota Nicotine Withdrawal Scale (MNWS) at baseline, week 1, 4, 8, and week 11 (end-of-treatment). RESULTS: Controlling for age, treatment arm, and site, we found a significant interaction (group x time) effect for withdrawal severity (p < 0.01). Bonferroni-corrected post-hoc comparisons revealed that relative to TO, TC had elevated withdrawal scores at week 1 (TC, M=9.3 ± 5.5; TO, M=7.1 ± 5.6; p < 0.01); no other timepoints showed between-group differences. CONCLUSIONS: People who co-use experience greater tobacco withdrawal severity one-week post abstinence compared to people who only use tobacco. Personalized interventions that target immediate tobacco withdrawal and/or cannabis use may help improve tobacco cessation rates for people who co-use both substances.

  PublisherDOI

• MammaTrace – a cell-free DNA methylation plasma only assay for minimal residual disease detection in breast cancer patients

  medRxiv · 2025-05-21

  preprintOpen access

  Introduction: Metastatic breast cancer (MBC) remains an incurable disease with a 5-year overall survival rate below 25%. Metastases often emerge from subclinical, disseminated tumor cells that persist despite systemic therapy of primary disease - referred to as minimal residual disease (MRD). Detecting MRD is critical for identifying patients at high risk of recurrence and enabling timely intervention. Methods: In this study, we developed MammaTrace, a plasma-only cell-free DNA (cfDNA) methylation-based MRD assay, informed by differentially methylated regions (DMRs) identified in MBC using whole genome bisulfite sequencing. MammaTrace was evaluated in an independent longitudinal cohort of early-stage breast cancer patients treated with curative intent. Results: MammaTrace achieved a sensitivity of 91% and specificity of 83%, with a median follow-up of 12.4 months. A positive MammaTrace score, indicative of MRD, preceded clinical or radiologic recurrence by a median of 457 days, providing a substantial lead time for therapeutic intervention to prevent progression to metastatic disease. Conclusions: MammaTrace enables detection of minimal residual disease in breast cancer patients, offering a substantial lead time before clinical recurrence. This approach may improve risk stratification and guide early therapeutic strategies to delay or prevent metastatic progression.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Supplemental Figure 1 from Secondary Lung Cancer among Survivors of Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer: A Population-Based Study

  2025-09-02

  articleOpen access

  &lt;p&gt;Supplemental Figure 1 shows the cumulative incidence over time of developing subsequent malignant neoplasm (SMN) among survivors of primary adolescent and young adult (AYA) (a) female breast cancer who developed lung (n = 112) and non-lung (n = 4,971) SMN, (b) cervical/uterine cancer who developed lung (n = 95) and non-lung (n = 1,451) SMN, (c) Hodgkin lymphoma who developed lung (n = 70) and non-lung (n = 1,129) and who were diagnosed with a primary cancer between 1998 and 2020 (California Cancer Registry Data).&lt;/p&gt;

  PublisherDOI

• Data from Assessing the Coverage of US Cancer Center Primary Catchment Areas

  2025-11-26

  articleOpen access

  &lt;div&gt;AbstractBackground:&lt;p&gt;Cancer centers are expected to engage communities and reduce the burden of cancer in their catchment areas. However, the extent to which cancer centers adequately reach the entire US population is unknown.&lt;/p&gt;Methods:&lt;p&gt;We surveyed all members of the Association of American Cancer Institutes (&lt;i&gt;N&lt;/i&gt; = 102 cancer centers) to document and map each cancer center's primary catchment area. Catchment area descriptions were aggregated to the county level. Catchment area coverage scores were calculated for each county and choropleths generated representing coverage across the US. Similar analyses were used to overlay US population density, cancer incidence, and cancer-related mortality compared with each county's cancer center catchment area coverage.&lt;/p&gt;Results:&lt;p&gt;Roughly 85% of US counties were included in at least one cancer center's primary catchment area. However, 15% of US counties, or roughly 25 million Americans, do not reside in a catchment area. When catchment area coverage was integrated with population density, cancer incidence, and cancer-related mortality metrics, geographical trends in both over- and undercoverage were apparent.&lt;/p&gt;Conclusions:&lt;p&gt;Geographic gaps in cancer center catchment area coverage exist and may be propagating cancer disparities. Efforts to ensure coverage to all Americans should be a priority of cancer center leadership.&lt;/p&gt;Impact:&lt;p&gt;This is the first known geographic analysis and interpretation of the primary catchment areas of all US-based cancer centers and identifies key geographic gaps important to target for disparities reduction.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;See related commentary by Lieberman-Cribbin and Taioli, p. 949&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;

  PublisherDOI

• Secondary Lung Cancer among Survivors of Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer: A Population-Based Study

  Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention · 2025-06-24

  articleOpen access

  BACKGROUND: Survivors of adolescent and young adult (AYA, ages 15-39 years at diagnosis) cancer are at increased risk for subsequent malignant neoplasms (SMN), of which lung cancer is the most lethal. Factors contributing to lung SMN development and outcomes are not well characterized. METHODS: Survivors of AYA cancer diagnosed between 1998 and 2020 were identified in the California Cancer Registry (n = 251,632). Pearson's χ2 and Fisher's exact tests were used to determine associations between sociodemographic and cancer characteristics and SMN status. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression, adjusting for age, time from primary diagnosis, race/ethnicity, insurance, primary cancer site, stage, and treatment, evaluated associations between these characteristics and the incidence and mortality of lung cancer as first SMN. RESULTS: A total of 675 (0.7%) survivors were diagnosed with lung SMN, of whom 487 (72.1%) died. The median time from primary diagnosis to lung SMN was 13.0 years (IQR 4.0-20.0 years). Nearly half (46.5%) of survivors with lung SMN had metastatic disease. Non-Hispanic Black survivors were more likely than non-Hispanic White survivors to develop lung SMN [adjusted HR (aHR) = 1.47; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 1.13-1.91] but were not more likely to die from lung SMN (aHR = 0.84; 95% CI, 0.56-1.27). Primary cancer treatment with both chemotherapy and radiation was associated with a greater likelihood of lung SMN (aHR = 1.41; 95% CI, 1.11-1.80) compared with receiving neither. CONCLUSIONS: Lung SMN has a long latency and high mortality among survivors of AYA cancer. IMPACT: More research is needed on lung cancer prevention, education, and early detection, particularly among survivors at higher risk.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Supplemental Table 3 from Secondary Lung Cancer among Survivors of Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer: A Population-Based Study

  2025-09-02

  articleOpen access

  &lt;p&gt;Supplemental Table 3 shows vital status and cause of death by subsequent malignant neoplasm status.&lt;/p&gt;

  PublisherDOI

Recent grants

• NIH Grant R21DA027066

  NIH · $1.0M · 2011

• NIH Grant P50CA179546

  NIH · $37.4M · 2019

• NIH Grant R01DA030819

  NIH · $3.1M · 2016

• NIH Grant R01DA017555

  NIH · $2.2M · 2009

• NIH Grant R01MH054435

  NIH · $1.2M · 1998

Frequent coauthors

• Rachel F. Tyndale

  Centre for Addiction and Mental Health

  227 shared

• Neal L. Benowitz

  141 shared

• Peter G. Shields

  The Ohio State University

  104 shared

• Freda Patterson

  University of Delaware

  91 shared

• Gary E. Swan

  Cornell University

  81 shared

• E. Paul Wileyto

  78 shared

• Kenneth A. Perkins

  University of Pittsburgh

  68 shared

• Janet Audrain

  University of Pennsylvania

  66 shared