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Dr. Pasick is Professor of Medicine, Associate Director, Community Education & Outreach, and Leader, Cancer Disparities Research with the University of California, San Franciso Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center. Trained in public health with a DrPH from UC Berkeley, Dr. Pasick’s expertise is in health communication and health promotion across cultures. She has spent the past twenty years conducting research on cancer disparities in the diverse and underserved communities of the San Francisco Bay Area. Dr. Pasick’s completed studies include an NCI program project, Cancer Screening, Managed Care and the Underserved, and NCI RO1 studies: Cross-Cultural Communication in Colorectal Cancer Screening (CRC – to aid communication between clinicians and African American, Chinese, and Latino patients on colorectal screening), Behavioral Constructs and Culture in Cancer Screening (3Cs – to test the cultural appropriateness of five major behavioral theory constructs), and Interactive Outreach: CIS-Link to the Underserved (to connect public hospital cancer patients with the Cancer Information Service). Her current research includes an NCI-funded TO1, Statewide Communication to Reach Diverse Low Income Women, a study to identify English and Spanish-speaking women at risk for hereditary breast cancer or Asian women who may be at risk for Hepatitis B among callers to the California breast and cervical screening program. In 2010, Dr. Pasick was recognized for her record of research in cancer disparities by an invitation to join the Komen Race for the Cure Scientific Advisory Board/Scholar. With the funds that come with this honor, Dr. Pasick will study cross-cultural validation of breast cancer risk assessment tools, breast cancer risk education in the context of the African American church, and exploration of the meaning of breast cancer risk among Chinese women having a strong family history of breast cancer.

In 2005, Dr. Pasick’s Community Outreach program established a very active Faith Communities initiative that fosters new health ministries in African American churches and disseminates evidence-based interventions such as Body & Soul in that setting. This has led to development of a Prostate Education Committee that is developing plans for research, education, and advocacy addressing the excess burden of this disease among African American men.

Dr. Pasick regards her most significant contribution as the establishment of the Minority Training Program in Cancer Control Research (MTPCCR), designed to encourage master’s level students and master’s trained professionals to go on for their doctoral degrees and to pursue careers in cancer control research. The MTPCCR has been funded continuously by the National Cancer Institute since 1998. Among the 462 participants, 29% have gone on to the doctorate. The majority report that the MTPCCR was a strong influence on their plans, and half are working in cancer-related research. In addition to the current UCSF and UCLA program sites, a new grant has been awarded to colleague Amelie Ramirez at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, with Dr. Pasick as Co-PI to establish the Latino Training Program in Cancer Control Research.

Implementation Science, People with limited English proficiency, Socioeconomically marginalized groups, African American, Latino, Chinese, Filipino, Clinic, Hospital, Community-based organization, Department of public health, Decision aids, Education, Social marketing, phone counseling, lay hlth worker, tailored print, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, cervical cancer, participation in clinical trials, prostate cancer, Interdisciplinary research collaboration, Brief implementation science training courses, Implementation & dissemination science listservs

Implementation Science, People with limited English proficiency, Socioeconomically marginalized groups, African Americans, Latinos, Filipinos, Vietnamese, Chinese, Clinic, Community-based organization, Statewide phone service serving low-income women/ churches, Education, Advice lines, Team science, capacity buildling via training and technical assistance, consumption of fruits and vegetables, cancer screening, hereditary breast cancer, Mentoring junior faculty or trainees, Interdisciplinary research collaboration, Brief implementation science training courses, Works-in-progress seminars, Implementation & dissemination science listservs