About Me
Dr. Lisa Harlan-Williams is an Associate Professor in the Department of Cell Biology and Physiology at the University of Kansas Medical Center and serves as the Associate Director for Education at The University of Kansas Cancer Center.
She earned her BS in Biology from Henderson State University and completed her PhD in Molecular Genetics under the mentorship of Stephen Benedict, PhD, in the Department of Molecular Biosciences at the University of Kansas. Her research interests center on the breast cancer susceptibility gene (BRCA1) and its role in breast cancer tumorigenesis and cellular metabolism.
Dr. Harlan-Williams directs the KU Cancer Center Accelerate Cancer Education summer research program for high school students, an initiative that provides hands-on research experiences and professional development for future scientists. She is passionate about engaging learners across the academic spectrum and is especially committed to inspiring high school students as they explore oncology-related career paths.
In her Cancer Center leadership role, Dr. Harlan-Williams oversees training, education, and career development activities associated with the P30 Cancer Center Support Grant, coordinating programming and cross-campus educational initiatives. She is also a trained facilitator for the Center for Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research (CIMER), through which she leads evidence-based mentor training to strengthen faculty and trainee mentoring practices across the institution.
She is an active member of the American Association for Cancer Research and the American Association for Cancer Education.