Roberto Martin Benzo, PhD

Assistant Professor (Courtesy)
Health Behavior and Health Promotion


Office
Suite 200, 3650 Olentangy River Rd, Columbus, OH 43214
Roberto Martin Benzo

Biography

Dr. Roberto Benzo is a health promotion and behavioral scientist and an assistant professor in the Division of Cancer Prevention and Control at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. As director of the Lifestyle Lab, he leads research on how lifestyle behaviors—including physical activity, sedentary time, diet and stress management—influence cancer-related health outcomes. His work focuses on developing scalable interventions that promote health, prevent disease and reduce disparities.

Dr. Benzo earned his PhD in health and human physiology in 2019, specializing in behavioral medicine. He completed a T32 postdoctoral fellowship in the Cancer Control Training in Disparities and Equity (C-TIDE) Program at the University of Miami in 2022. His projects included adapting a web-based cognitive-behavioral stress management intervention for pancreatic cancer survivors and contributing to culturally tailored interventions for Hispanic populations. He also worked on electronic health records-integrated interventions, including the AHRQ-funded My Wellness Check, published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, and NIH-funded eHealth obesity prevention programs for Hispanic adolescents and parents.

Dr. Benzo’s expertise is strengthened by participation in National Cancer Institute-funded programs, such as the MOST workshop (New York University), Supportive Oncology Research Methods (Harvard), and TREC (Yale). He holds a certificate in human-centered design (Cornell University) and is an American College of Sports Medicine certified cancer exercise trainer.

The Lifestyle Lab fosters a collaborative, transdisciplinary research environment, welcoming students, health care providers and scientists passionate about digital health innovation. Dr. Benzo’s work bridges cutting-edge research with real-world applications, leading multidisciplinary initiatives that improve public health.

Education

PhD
Health and Human Physiology, University of Iowa
MS
Health and Human Physiology, University of Iowa
BS
Biology, West Virginia University

Research interests

How lifestyle behaviors impact cancer-related health, leveraging mHealth technologies (e.g., apps, smartwatches, health devices) to develop scalable, accessible behavioral interventions that prevent disease and improve health.

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