Joe Flores-Toro, Ph.D.

Health Scientist Administrator

  • Center for Biomedical Informatics & Information Technology
  • Office of Data Sharing
  • Scientific Policy and Program Branch A
  • Current Role

    Current Role

    As a health scientist administrator in NCI’s Office of Data Sharing, I support data access and sharing efforts, act as a member of the NCI data access committee, and provide program support to large projects such as the Childhood Cancer Data Initiative (CCDI).

    Additionally, I sit on a number of working groups and committees, including: the NCI Equity Council Communications and Outreach for Equity Activities (COEA) working group, the Gabriella Miller Kids First working group, the NCCR Metadata working group, the Global Alliance for Genomics and Health (GA4GH) data use subgroup, and various CCDI working groups.

  • Projects

    Projects

    Photo portrays a small child in a blue dress sitting and holding a stuffed teddy bear and talking with a doctor. Although she has cancer, as shown by her cancer-related hair loss, she’s happy and smiling at her doctor.

    Childhood Cancer Data Initiative (CCDI)

    Develops means to collect and share childhood cancer data to learn from every child with cancer.
    Photo shows a group of multinational children sitting closely together and smiling a the camera.

    Gabriella Miller Kids First Data Access Committee

    Grants researchers access to controlled childhood cancer and structural birth defects data.
    Photo shows four clinicians sitting at a table. A tablet, laptop, phone, and paper files and documents are on the table. Three doctors are listening as one is speaking.

    NCI Data Access Committee

    Reviews requests to access data in the database of Genotypes and Phenotypes.
    Photo of a white woman doctor giving a positive “high five” hand gesture to a young patient as he sits in his father’s lap.

    Pediatric MATCH

    Enrolls children, teens, and young adults to test precision medicine for childhood cancers.
  • Publications

    Publications

    View Joe’s PubMed Summary

    Featured Publications

    Critical Roles of Calpastatin in Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury in Aged Livers. Cells, 2021.

    Modulation of the Chemokine/Chemokine Receptor Axis as a Novel Approach for Glioma Therapy. Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 2020.

    Adult Immuno-oncology: Using Past Failures to Inform the Future. Neuro-Oncology, 2020.

  • In the News

    In the News

    AACR Annual Meeting 2022: NCI Data Science Event Sessions and Posters
    If you’re attending the 2022 American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting (either in person or virtual), don’t miss these data science sessions, poster presentations, and the NCI exhibit booth, where you can hear more about our programs and activities!
    Striking a Balance Between Open Data and Individual Privacy
    Technological advancements, such as machine learning and artificial intelligence, have made open data sharing more complex and put new pressure on existing laws that protect data privacy. This blog examines the privacy processes and policies that are helping address privacy concerns in today’s ever-changing “big data” landscape.
    Turning Life’s Passion into Purposeful Work—Following A Fellow’s Path to CBIIT
    NCI offers a broad range of fellowships, enabling us to tap some of the brightest minds in science and technology to further advance scientific discovery. Here, Joseph Flores-Toro, Ph.D., a fellow in the Office of Data Sharing (ODS), describes the path he took in becoming a fellow for CBIIT.
  • Background

    Background

    Education

    • Ph.D., Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Florida
    • B.S., Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University

    Previous Work

    • American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Science and Technology Policy Fellow, NCI
    • High School Science Teacher, Chiefland High School (Chiefland, Florida)

    Recent Awards

    • 2021 CBIIT Special Act Award