Feinstein Institutes’ Karina Davidson Appointed Chair of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force

MANHASSET, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Karina W. Davidson, PhD, MASc, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research director of the Institute of Health System Science and Northwell Health senior vice president of research, has been appointed as chair of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF or Task Force).

The Task Force is an independent, volunteer panel of national experts whose expertise is in prevention and evidence-based medicine. Members hail from many health-related disciplines, including internal medicine, family medicine, pediatrics and behavioral health. The role of the Task Force is to improve the health of all people nationwide by making evidence-based recommendations about clinical preventive services, such as screenings, counseling services, and preventive medicines. Task Force recommendations have informed clinical standards for many professional societies, health organizations, and medical quality review groups.

“Prevention through screening, behavioral counseling and preventive medicine is the cornerstone of improving the health of people nationwide,” said Dr. Davidson, who is also dean of academic affairs and Donald and Barbara Zucker professor in health outcomes at the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. “It is a privilege to chair the Task Force and aid in prevention recommendations for children, adolescents, adults, and pregnant persons.”

Dr. Davidson previously served as vice chair of the Task Force from 2019 to 2021 and a member from 2014 to 2018.

Dr. Davidson has authored more than 300 peer-reviewed articles and numerous editorials and book chapters. She formed and is the past chair of the Evidence-Based Behavioral-Medicine committee, a task force charged by seven national and international societies with improving and implementing evidence-based principles within behavioral medicine. She has won national and international awards for her research, including the Advancing Women in Science and Medicine, Award for Excellence and served as president of many professional societies, including the Academy of Behavior Medicine Research.

“Dr. Davidson is a leader in behavioral medicine and personalized health, and is a driving force for medical research and preventive care,” said Kevin J. Tracey, MD, president and CEO of the Feinstein Institutes. “We congratulate Dr. Davidson on her appointment and look forward to seeing impactful work from the Task Force under her leadership.”

About the Feinstein Institutes

The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research is the research arm of Northwell Health, the largest health care provider and private employer in New York State. Home to 50 research labs, 3,000 clinical research studies and 5,000 researchers and staff, the Feinstein Institutes raises the standard of medical innovation through its five institutes of behavioral science, bioelectronic medicine, cancer, health innovations and outcomes, and molecular medicine. We make breakthroughs in genetics, oncology, brain research, mental health, autoimmunity, and are the global scientific leader in bioelectronic medicine – a new field of science that has the potential to revolutionize medicine. For more information about how we produce knowledge to cure disease, visit http://feinstein.northwell.edu and follow us on LinkedIn.