Solution-Based Research to Address Disparities in Precision Cancer Health: A Case Report Elucidating the Design and Rationale of the Illinois Cancer Health Equity Research (I-CHER) Center
Equity in precision cancer health, defined here as equitable access to inclusive cancer risk assessment, cancer risk reduction/management, and risk-appropriate cancer healthcare from prevention through survivorship, is critical for addressing broader population cancer disparities. Specifically, we describe the impact of the Illinois Cancer Health Equity Research (I-CHER) Center on precision cancer health equity, including how the Center cumulatively served >10,000 residents from under-resourced communities; disseminated findings to >300 members of the local cancer health disparities workforce; and translated scientific solutions into sustained clinical practice and two state laws. The objective of this case report is to describe the I-CHER Center's multisectoral structure; participatory administrative processes for research; early implementation challenges and tensions across sectors; and solutions that contributed to early center-wide successes. This case report offers one example of the administrative infrastructure needed for advancing scientific solutions in precision cancer health equity within a Minority Serving Institution (MSI) and its internal federally qualified health center (FQHC).
Authors
- Ian Jasenof
- Frank Granata (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1252-9310)
- Ally Lopshire
- Julie Bobitt (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3137-6898)
- Jan Kitajewski (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4660-593X)
- Erica D. Seltzer
- Monet Jones
- Patrick D. Smith (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3252-1287)
- Joanne Glenn
- Inés Pulido (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1637-6702)
- Marian Fitzgibbon (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7735-2165)
- Hunter K. Holt (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6833-8372)
- Keith Naylor (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9871-8317)
- Leslie R. Carnahan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5813-2757)
- Shaveta Khosla (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0188-4595)
- Saria Lofton (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0409-115X)
- Vida Henderson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5799-0664)
- Candace Henley (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1854-5901)
- Vivian Pan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1666-9273)
- Yamilé Molina (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8742-5658)
- Margaret E. Wright (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4410-4157)
- Kent Hoskins (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8712-0299)
- Pamela Ganschow
- Osei Bekoe
- Carolina Bujanda
- Ana Williams Waite
- Angelina Izguerra
- Chinwe Ewenighi
- Ameen A. Salahudeen
- Karissa Cerda
- Elizabeth Rivera
- Karen Sharer
- Paola Torres
- Marcus Evans
- Aileen Shen
- L. A. Naiche
- Ryan Nguyen
- M. J. Godoy-Calderon
- Charles Walton
Institutions
- American Cancer Society (US)
- Illinois Department of Public Health (US)
- Illinois College (US)
- Chicago Department of Public Health (US)
- Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (US)
- Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (US)
- University of Illinois Chicago (US)
- Research Square (United States) (US)
- Women's Treatment Center (US)
- Chicago State University (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
- Published
- 2026-03-31
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph23040446
- Primary Topic
- Interdisciplinary Research and Collaboration
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- American Cancer Society
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- Cancer Center, University of Illinois at Chicago