Biography

Charles E. Matthews, Ph.D., is a physical activity epidemiologist and investigator in the Metabolic Epidemiology Branch. He received a M.S. in exercise science from the University of South Carolina, Columbia, and a Ph.D. in epidemiology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Dr. Matthews held academic appointments in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University of South Carolina and the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine prior to joining DCEG in 2009 as a tenure-track investigator; he was awarded scientific tenure by the NIH in 2016. Dr. Matthews is a Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and an Associate Editor for the ACSM journal, Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise.

Research Program

Dr. Matthews studies the relationship between physical activity behaviors and the development of cancer in humans. Physical activity behaviors reflect the continuum of human movement that influences energy expenditure and energy balance, and these behaviors range from purely sedentary (e.g., sitting) to physically active pursuits (e.g., light, moderate-vigorous intensity activities). In his etiologic studies, Dr. Matthews seeks to understand how the full spectrum of physical activity behaviors influences cancer risk, the dose-response relations between active and sedentary behaviors and cancer, and the biological mechanisms underlying these relationships. In his methodological research, he is working to develop better methods for measuring physical activity behaviors in population-based studies that may help identify new cancer associations and better define the optimal types and amount of physical activity that are associated with reduced risk. This knowledge is critical to the development of evidence-based public health guidelines for physical activity and cancer prevention and control.