Understanding cancer and improving outcomes for all

Many factors affect why people get cancer, how it’s found, and the outcomes for those living with cancer. These factors include environment, behaviors, genes and social conditions.

At OHSU, the Cancer Population Science team studies these factors to develop ways to prevent cancer and improve outcomes. Our goal is to deliver the right intervention at the right time to the right people.

What you can expect

When you join us as faculty, a trainee or a team member, you will:

• Study large groups of people to better understand cancer patterns
• Explore ways to prevent cancer, find it early, treat it and help people live well after treatment
• Work with communities on solutions that improve health for all
• Find a culture of open and equitable collaboration, mentorship and training

You’ll work with experts in:

• Cancer control and survivorship
• Cancer prevention
• Clinical and behavioral interventions
• Community outreach and engagement
• Early detection and screening
• Epidemiology and biostatistics
• Health disparities
• Implementation science
• Informatics
• Qualitative and mixed-methods research

Our research

Our research focuses on cancer prevention, early detection and survivorship at the population level. Here are some examples of our work.

Prevention: We study the causes of cancer to inform new prevention recommendations and ways to identify people at high risk across multiple cancer types.

Screening: We work closely with the Healthy Oregon Project, which uses data from more than 50,000 Oregonians to close gaps in prevention, screening, diagnosis and treatment. The project has provided free genetic screening for inherited cancer risk to nearly 40,000 individuals.

Survivorship and quality of life: Our team has done more than 15 clinical trials on the benefits of exercise for cancer survivors. This work contributed to new national recommendations on exercise for older cancer survivors. We also work to understand side effects and symptoms during cancer treatment and develop ways to manage them.

Health care disparities: We’re documenting the experiences of older Latina women with cervical cancer to fill gaps in diagnosis and treatment.

Community engagement

Two of our faculty members, Kerri Winters-Stone, Ph.D., and Jackilen Shannon, Ph.D., direct the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute’s Community Partnership Program. As a member of our team, you’ll have the chance to join the program’s work.

The program helps Oregon communities create evidence-based projects to address cancer needs. Since it started in 2014, the program has invested more than $6.6 million in 246 projects.

Resources

You’ll have access to a diverse network of unique in-state resources and partners, such as:

• Cancer Early Detection Advanced Research Center (CEDAR)
• OHSU Knight Cancer Institute BioLibrary
• OHSU Department of Family Medicine
• Oregon Clinical and Translational Research Institute (OCTRI)
• Oregon Rural Practice-based Network (ORPRN)
• Oregon State Cancer Registry
• OCHIN, a national research network and health information technology partner

About us

Cancer Population Science is part of the Division of Oncological Sciences. The division is an OHSU School of Medicine unit supported by the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute.

Meet the Cancer Population Science faculty.