Dr. Cress is a Professor in the Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine and Deputy Dean for Research Affairs at the College of Medicine at the University of Arizona. She has a 25-year history of contributing to interdisciplinary research through the publication of more than 100 original research articles. Her national service includes permanent membership on scientific study sections including those organized by NIH, the Department of Defense and the American Cancer Society. Her research interests include investigating the regulation of cell surface molecules called integrins and defective cell adhesion to the extracellular matrix in disease processes and tissue damage responses. The practical application of the work has resulted in several patent awards on new anti-adhesion peptides that are currently being tested for their ability to prevent cancer metastasis and to sensitize cancer to currently available therapies.