Dr. Elizabeth Jacobs is a cancer and nutritional epidemiologist, professor of epidemiology and biostatistics and nutritional sciences at the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, and a researcher with the University of Arizona Cancer Center. As Principal Investigator on a federally funded R01, her work examines how selenium supplementation affects cancer prevention, grounded in rigor, precision, and deep respect for human life.

But science alone is not Dr. Jacobs’ calling. She is the co-founder of Defend Public Health, an all-volunteer coalition of physicians, scientists, and advocates united in a steadfast mission: to protect the health and dignity of all people, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Her gift is the balance she has learned to hold, pairing s ...