Zohra Ali-Khan Catts, M.S., C.G.C.

Christiana Care - Oncology

Director of the Cancer Genetics Program
Helen F. Graham Cancer Center at Christiana Care

Academic Appointment:
Adjunct Scientist in the Center for Translational Cancer Research

Education:
Bachelor of Arts in Biological Sciences with a double minor in Chemistry and Spanish, University of Delaware - 1992
Genetic Counseling Intern, St. Peter's Medical Center, New Jersey's University of the Health Sciences Robert Wood Johnson Medical School - 1994
Genetic Counseling Intern, Diagnostic Center, University of Maryland at Baltimore Medical Center (1994 -1995)
Genetic Counseling Intern, Georgetown University Medical Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Human Genetics -1995
Masters in Human Genetics, concentration in Genetic Counseling, Howard University - 1995

Biography:
Director of the Cancer Genetics Program
As the Director of Genetic Counseling at the HFGCC, Dr. Catts is interested in bringing the latest research discoveries in cancer genetics to the individuals and families with a high risk of developing cancer. Working with researchers and students in the CTCR, we are developing new ways to identify genetic changes in the genes of Delaware families and to determine if these changes are associated with increased cancer risk. Such information will ensure that families have the most current information as they seek to determine what is best for their loved ones. A major effort involves the construction of the Ruth Ann Minner High Risk Family Cancer Registry which includes pedigrees from tens of thousands of individuals in the Delaware Valley. One research project presently underway studies a newly identified mutation in the DNA repair gene, BRCA2, involved in both risk of breast and prostate cancer.

RECENT PRESS

Health experts to address issues in education, research, practice
January 26, 2012--DHSA will hold its inaugural Global Health Symposium on Saturday, Feb. 4 at CCHS. The program will focus on education, research and practice, with presentations on topics ranging from refugee health clinics and relief medicine to anthropological approaches to the study of global health.

Christiana Care issues a call to men to prevent domestic violence
January 24, 2012--Christiana Care, a National Community Center of Excellence in Women's Health, has been working for years to help women who are victims of domestic violence at an annual event that offers resources, education and support.

After Holiday Eating Marathon, Jefferson Dietitian Offers 10 Tips to Get Back on Track and Kick Start New Year's Weight Loss Resolution
January 4, 2012--Celebrating the New Year goes hand-in-hand with creating resolutions to get healthy and trim - especially after weeks of holiday marathon eating. Dietitian Emily Rubin, R.D., L.D., with the Division of Gastroenterology at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, says you can stay committed to being healthy and fit by following these 10 tips.

Procedure saves teen after rare carotid trauma
January 4, 2012--Neurointerventionalist Gregg Zoarski, M.D.'s recent surgical grand rounds lecture on carotid artery injuries focused on how to repair traumatic injuries to these vital vessels that supply blood to the brain.

Medical students delighted with Delaware branch campus Christiana Care is participating in Jefferson Medical College�s Delaware Branch Campus program, underscoring the transformative role the health system plays in medical education.
December 23, 2011--This achievement specifically spotlights our core competency in providing clinical education to third- and fourth-year medical students. Christiana Care has a long-standing relationship in providing first-rate medical education to students from Jefferson, one of the country's top-rated medical collleges.

Healthy Kids Delaware (HKD) Network celebrated its one-year anniversary earlier this month.
December 22, 2011--Earlier this month the Healthy Kids Delaware (HKD) network celebrated its one-year anniversary. The Healthy Kids Delaware network has been working to address health and wellness needs of children throughout New Castle County.

Interprofessional Care for the 21st Century: Redefining Education and Practice
December 14, 2011--Registration is now open for Jefferson InterProfessional Education Center's (JCIPE) 2012 conference: Interprofessional Care for the 21st Century: Redefining Education and Practice. The conference will be held on May 18-19, 2012 at Dorrance H. Hamilton Building, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA. The purpose of this conference is to showcase scholarly work and works in progress advancing interprofessional education and/or practice. This conference reflects on innovative implementation and evaluation strategies of the interprofessional competencies.

Nemours participates in Partnership for a Healthier America Summit
December 8, 2011--The Partnership, of which Nemours is a founding member, has a mission of supporting First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! campaign by working with the private sector to fight childhood obesity. The theme that emerged at the summit, a gathering of leaders from business and industry, academia, nonprofits and government, was: "Make the healthy choice the easy choice."

DHSA plans workshop on collaborative education for clinicians and scientists
December 8, 2011--DHSA will host "Creating Clinical and Research Teams for the Future: Workshop on Collaborative Education for Clinicians and Scientists" on Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2012, at the Ammon Education Center of Christiana Hospital. This workshop focuses on developing skills to write educational grants. The program will include information on how to obtain educational grant funding, set goals and evaluate an educational program, and develop an application for the DHSA Education Pilot Award.