September 14, 2020
Elizabeth Calhoun, PhD, MEd, has been named professor in the department of Population Health and associate dean for population health at the University of Kansas Medical Center. She also joins The University of Kansas Cancer Center’s Cancer Prevention and Control research program. A nationally recognized leader in minority health and health disparities research, Dr. Calhoun’s work spans the entire cancer continuum, ranging from clinical research to patient navigation to policy development.
Prior to joining the cancer center, Dr. Calhoun served as executive director of the Center for Population Science and Discovery at University of Arizona Health Sciences.
“I am thrilled Dr. Calhoun has come to our institution,” said Roy Jensen, MD, director of the cancer center. “She has a proven track record of utilizing team science and engagement-based approaches to address the health and health care priorities of underserved communities. She will help drive our efforts to improve our understanding of cancer disparities in our catchment area.”
Dr. Calhoun has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed articles in scientific journals covering a wide range of topics, including the impact of patient-navigation programs and disparities in underserved communities. She has served on several boards and currently serves as the chair for the American Cancer Society’s National Navigation Roundtable Evidence-based working group, which aims to promote evidence and support the integration of patient navigation into the cancer care experience.
“In the past few years, I have focused more of my research on aspects related to rural cancer prevention and control,” Dr. Calhoun said. “The University of Kansas Cancer Center has many ongoing, exciting initiatives to help this group and other underserved populations. This is a great opportunity for our cancer center and the state to become a national leader in this area, and I look forward to being a part of those efforts.”