Research Summary

My research examines the socio-cultural and institutional dimensions of inequities in cancer care and translational genomics. As an anthropologist, I specialize in ethnographic approaches, but use a range of mixed qualitative and quantitative methods, community-based participatory research and stakeholder engagement. My research program has primarily focused on: 1) clinical translation of genetics and genomics to historically underrepresented populations and under resourced settings; 2) the participation of historically underrepresented populations in clinical research and 3) ethical and social implications (ELSI) of genomics.

Research Funding

  • July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025 - Prenatal Genetic Counseling and Medical Documentation in the Post-Roe Era , MPI . Sponsor: UCSF REAC, Sponsor Award ID: unknown
  • March 1, 2023 - July 1, 2024 - Maternal-Fetal Precision Medicine and the Practice of Genetic Counseling in the Post-Dobbs Era , MPI . Sponsor: UCSF Marcus ELSI in Precision Medicine Award, Sponsor Award ID: unknown
  • July 1, 2021 - December 31, 2022 - Patient and Physician Perspectives on Value, Utility and Implications of Recording Geographic Ancestry from Genomic Sequencing in the Electronic Health Record , MPI . Sponsor: Marcus Program ELSI in Precision Medicine Award, Sponsor Award ID: unknown
  • January 12, 2017 - December 31, 2021 - Precision Genomics in the WISDOM Pragmatic Clinical Trial: An Embedded ELSI Study of Risk-based Breast Cancer Screening , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R01CA211999
  • June 14, 2013 - May 31, 2021 - Exome sequencing in Diverse Populations in Colorado & Oregon , Co-Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: U01HG007292
  • April 12, 2016 - March 31, 2021 - Comparison of 3 Modes of Genetic Counseling in High-Risk Public Hospital Patients , Co-Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R01CA197784
  • - - Engaging Underserved Women in Health Research , unknown . Sponsor: California Breast Cancer Research Program, Sponsor Award ID: 20BB-2100

Education

Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut, B.A., 1988, Anthropology
University of California, Santa Cruz, M.A., 1993, Cultural Anthropology
University of California, Santa Cruz, Ph.D., 1999, Cultural Anthropology
Yale University, Center for International & Area Studies, Post-Doctoral Fellowship, 2001, Migration, Globalization, & Citizenship

Honors & Awards

  • 1992
    Graduate Fellowship Honorable Mention, National Science Foundation
  • 1994
    Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research Dissertation Research Fellowship
  • 1998
    Spencer Foundation Dissertation Writing Fellowship
  • 1999
    Advanced Studies Fellowship, Anthropology and Education Institute, Spencer Foundation
  • 2010
    Best Published Paper Award Nomination, Asian/PI Caucus, American Public Health Association
  • 2012
    Best Abstract, first-time presenter at Genomics Forum, American Public Health Association
  • 2013
    Mentored Community-Academic Team, Community-Based Participatory Research for Health Equity Institute, NIMHHD (Grant # 1R13MD007620-01), San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA
  • 2015
    UCSF CORO Leadership Training Institute
  • 2016
    National Society for Genetic Counselors Best Abstract Award: “Adapting Evidenced Based Strategies for Effective Communication in Cancer Genetic Counseling"
  • 2018
    National Society for Genetic Counselors Best Trainee Paper Award for mentee Daniella Karmara, Journal of Genetic Counseling "Cancer counseling of low-income limited English proficient Latina women using medical interpreters: Implications for shared decision making"

Selected Publications

  1. Gutierrez AM, Leo MC, Joseph G, Guerra C, Ackerman SL, Anguiano B, Majumder MA, Ramos MA, Recinos AM, Sahin-Hodoglugil N, Slavotinek A, Robinson JO. Perceptions of professional Spanish medical interpretation during genomic sequencing results sessions. Patient Educ Couns. 2026 Sep; 150:109736. View on PubMed
  2. Ruiz K, Narain A, Nguyen TP, Pollard E, Joseph G, Moscarello T, Campion M, Reuter C. Characterizing psychosocial assessments across genetic counseling sessions through qualitative content analysis. J Genet Couns. 2026 Feb; 35(1):e70161. View on PubMed
  3. Riddle LS, Harris-Wai J, Norton ME, Silver J, Joseph G. "I can't help them like I used to": Evolving prenatal genetic counseling practices in a post-Roe U.S. Soc Sci Med. 2026 Feb; 390:118869. View on PubMed
  4. Pardo EN, Joseph G, Rojo EM, Beyene S, Taylor KD, Charlebois ED, Gansky SA, Rhoads KF. The Health Equity Action Network Research Coordinating Center Facilitates Meaningful Community Engagement to Promote Health Equity. Am J Public Health. 2025 Jul; 115(S2):S98-S103. View on PubMed
  5. James JE, Riddle L, Koenig B, Joseph G. Moving toward Equity through Embedded ELSI Ethnography. Hastings Cent Rep. 2024 Dec; 54 Suppl 2:S93-S101. View on PubMed
  6. Niharika Dixit, Terence W. Friedlander, Ana I. Velazquez Manana, Rebecca Jane DeBoer, Evelin Trejo, Ivan C. Leung, Miya Frick, Barry Tong, Kelly Gordon, Robin Lee, Paul Couey, Sabina Kabra, Galen Joseph. Implementing a genetic testing station in a safety net setting for equitable genetic testing and counseling. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2024 Sep 30; 20(10_suppl):167-167. View on PubMed
  7. Riddle L, James JE, Naeim A, Madlensky L, Brain S, DeRosa D, Eklund M, Fiscalini AS, Heditsian D, Koenig B, Ross K, Sabacan LP, Tong B, Wenger N, Joseph G. Receiving a Pathogenic Variant in a Population Breast Cancer Screening Trial: A Mixed Method Study. Public Health Genomics. 2024; 27(1):177-196. View on PubMed
  8. Katherine Leggat-Barr, Galen Joseph, Leslie Riddle, Mika Caruncho, Barbara Koenig, Jennifer James. “Mammograms are kind of my pacifier”: The cultural context of women’s preference for annual mammograms in a risk-based screening cohort. SSM - Qualitative Research in Health. 2024 Sep 1; 100476. View on PubMed
  9. Gilmore MJ, Leo MC, Amendola LM, Goddard KAB, Ezzell Hunter J, Joseph G, Kauffman TL, Rolf B, Shuster E, Zepp JM, Wilfond BS, Biesecker BB. Evaluation of mailed results versus telephone disclosure of normal cancer genetic test results in a low-risk underserved population. Transl Behav Med. 2024 06 27; 14(7):377-385. View on PubMed
  10. Lowe C, Beach MC, Erby LH, Biesecker BB, Joseph G, Roter DL. Effects of Implicit Racial Bias and Standardized Patient Race on Genetic Counseling Students' Patient-Centered Communication. Health Commun. 2025 04; 40(4):679-690. View on PubMed
  11. Gilmore MJ, Knerr S, Kraft SA, Bulkley JE, Biesecker BB, Feigelson HS, Hunter JE, Jenkins CL, Kauffman TL, Lee SS, Liles EG, Mittendorf KF, Muessig KR, Porter KM, Rolf BA, Rope AF, Zepp JM, Anderson KP, Devine B, Joseph G, Leo MC, Goddard K, Wilfond BS. Improving Care for Marginalized Populations at Risk for Hereditary Cancer Syndromes: Innovations that Expanded Reach in the CHARM Study. Public Health Genomics. 2024; 27(1):16-22. View on PubMed
  12. Lewis H, Biesecker B, Lee SS, Anderson K, Joseph G, Jenkins CL, Bulkley JE, Leo MC, Goddard KAB, Wilfond BS. Promoting equity, inclusion, and efficiency: A team science approach to the development of authorship guidelines for a multi-disciplinary research team. J Clin Transl Sci. 2023; 7(1):e265. View on PubMed
  13. Lowe C, Erby L, Joseph G, Biesecker B, Roter DL. Acceptability of an online communication training intervention for genetic counseling students. J Genet Couns. 2024 10; 33(5):952-960. View on PubMed
  14. Duenas DM, Riddle L, Guerra C, Caruncho M, Lewis H, Porter KM, Kraft SA, Anderson KP, Biesecker B, Gilmore MJ, Zepp JM, Leo MC, Wilfond BS, Joseph G, CHARM Study. Refining a Multifaceted Model of Perceived Utility of Genomic Sequencing Results. Public Health Genomics. 2023; 26(1):135-144. View on PubMed
  15. Hunter JE, Riddle L, Joseph G, Amendola LM, Gilmore MJ, Zepp JM, Shuster E, Bulkley JE, Muessig KR, Anderson KP, Goddard KAB, Wilfond BS, Leo MC, CHARM study team. Most people share genetic test results with relatives even if the findings are normal: Family communication in a diverse population. Genet Med. 2023 11; 25(11):100923. View on PubMed
  16. Riddle L, Joseph G, Caruncho M, Koenig BA, James JE. The role of polygenic risk scores in breast cancer risk perception and decision-making. J Community Genet. 2023 Oct; 14(5):489-501. View on PubMed
  17. Lowe C, Erby L, Biesecker B, Beach MC, Joseph G, Hundert R, Roter DL. Efficacy of an online communication skill training intervention on genetic counseling students' performance during standardized patient sessions. Patient Educ Couns. 2023 09; 114:107835. View on PubMed
  18. Beck AL, Mora R, Joseph G, Perrin E, Cabana M, Schickedanz A, Fernandez A. A Multimethod Evaluation of the Futuros Fuertes Intervention to Promote Healthy Feeding, Screen Time, and Sleep Practices. Acad Pediatr. 2023 Sep-Oct; 23(7):1351-1360. View on PubMed
  19. Lori Erby, Barbara Biesecker, Galen Joseph, Debra Roter. O.30.3 Effects of Online Modules on Genetic Counseling Student Skill Use and Simulated Client Satisfaction Presenter(s): Chenery Lowe, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, United States. Patient Education and Counseling. 2023 Apr 1; 109:120. View on PubMed
  20. Joseph G, Lindberg NM, Guerra C, Hernandez C, Karliner LS, Gilmore MJ, Zepp J, Rolf BA, Caruncho M, Riddle L, Kauffman TL, Leo MC, Wilfond BS. Medical interpreter-mediated genetic counseling for Spanish preferring adults at risk for a hereditary cancer syndrome. J Genet Couns. 2023 08; 32(4):870-886. View on PubMed

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