Research Summary
My research focuses on the value of new technologies, with a specific emphasis on the application of genetics to cancer care and control and other conditions (“precision medicine"). In 2008, I founded the UCSF Center for Translational and Policy Research on Personalized Medicine (TRANSPERS), which focuses on how personalized/precision medicine can most effectively and efficiently be adopted into health care delivery and health policies. I have had continuous funding from the NIH as Principal Investigator for over 25 years and have published over 150 peer-reviewed articles in the leading journals in health policy. A focus is cross-disciplinary/cross-sector research as exemplified by my advisory role to many government and industry organizations.
My work in cancer screening spans almost my entire academic career, with early work on predictors of mammography screening followed by work on colorectal cancer screening. I now work on policy issues relevant to hereditary cancer risk assessment testing and tumor profiling using sequencing technologies (funded by NCI and others). I work closely with the UCSF HDFCCC as a long-time member of the Population Sciences/Cancer Control Program and previously was the designated leader for comparative effectiveness research. I have presented at multiple IOM, NCI, and other meetings focused on cancer and have published in leading cancer journals. My work has been funded by several cancer organizations, including R01s and a Program Project Grant (P01) funded by NCI.
Research Funding
July 8, 2021 - April 30, 2026 - BUILDING THE EVIDENCE BASE FOR APPROPRIATE AND EFFICIENT IMPLEMENTATION OF EMERGING GENOMIC TESTS FOR DISEASE MANAGEMENT AND SCREENING , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R01HG011792
July 1, 2018 - June 30, 2021 - Coverage, Price, and Reimbursement for Multigene Tests for Cancer and Related Conditions , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R01CA221870
February 15, 2013 - January 31, 2019 - Risk-Benefit Trade-Offs for Whole Genome Sequencing , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R01HG007063
September 16, 2008 - August 31, 2013 - Personalized Medicine for Colorectal and Breast Cancer , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: P01CA130818
Education
University of Texas, Austin, BA, 1978, Psychology
Kennedy School of Government, Harvard Univ., Cambridge, MA, MPA, 1986, Policy Analysis
University of California, Berkeley, PhD, 1991, Health Services Research
Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, Univ. of CA San Francisco, Postdoc, 1993, Health Services Research