Health Equity Research in Oncology (HERO) Lab
Welcome to the HERO Lab
Health inequities affect populations across the cancer continuum, from prevention through end-of-life. The goal of our lab is to listen to communities about their cancer-related health needs, act on these findings to create new interventions, and disseminate these interventions to the people who need them most. We focus on diverse populations, including historically underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, sexual and gender minorities, and individuals across the lifespan. We work across disciplines, including psychology, medicine, nursing, and pharmacy. And we employ multiple scientific and experimental modalities including qualitative research, observational studies, and clinical trials.
Current areas of focus include disparities in Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor treatment outcomes among Black and White patients, cancer survivorship needs of sexual and gender minority cancer patients and their caregivers, cancer-related community engagement with Arab American and refugee communities, and sexual well-being among adolescent and young adult cancer survivors.

Charles S. Kamen, Ph.D., M.P.H.
Principal Investigator
Projects
- DiRECT: Disparities in Results of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Treatment Cohort Study (UG3CA260602)
- FOCUS-SGM: Adapting the FOCUS Program for Sexual and Gender Minority Cancer Patients and Caregivers
- ASCEND: A Multi-Institute Survivorship Study of Patients Living with Advanced and Metastatic Cancer Who Have Had Durable Response to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors
- SOGI: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Data Collection in Community Oncology Practice
- The Science of Cancer Health Equity for Sexual and Gender Minority Communities Conference
Publications
- Use of cultural appropriateness strategies and behavioral frameworks in behavioral interventions for black and hispanic cancer survivors: a systematic review.; BMC cancer; Vol 25(1), pp. 835. 2025 May 06.
- Information Technology and Telemedicine Services in Community Oncology Practices.; JCO clinical cancer informatics; Vol 7, pp. e2300086. 2023 Aug.
- Tobacco Smoking and Pack-years are Associated with Frailty Among People with HIV.; Journal of acquired immune deficiency syndromes (1999). 2023 Jun 26.
- Cancer patient and provider responses to companion scales assessing experiences with LGBTQI-affirming healthcare.; Frontiers in oncology; Vol 13, pp. 869561. 2023 Mar 31.
Contact Us
HERO Lab
SRB 2.216