The Clinical Research Award recognizes individuals whose research has significantly and positively impacted the oncology patient, family, and/or community.
Dr. Mandi Pratt-Chapman has made significant contributions to the field of oncology through her pioneering research and work in patient navigation and health equity, particularly for intersectional LGBTQIA+ populations. As the Associate Center Director for Community Outreach and Engagement at the GW Cancer Center, Dr. Pratt-Chapman has led numerous research projects aimed at improving patient-centered care and improving health outcomes, particularly for populations who experience the greatest cancer disparities. She has been instrumental in developing national, consensus-based core competencies for oncology patient navigators as well as providing free training to ensure that these professionals are well-equipped to support patients throughout their cancer journey. More than 12,000 learners from 42 countries have accessed her Oncology Patient Navigation Training: The Fundamentals. Her team is releasing an updated version of this internationally-accessed training that includes new standards and developments in the field in early 2025.
Dr. Pratt-Chapman's dedication to the LGBTQI+ community is evident in her research and advocacy work. She has focused on addressing the unique healthcare needs of LGBTQI+ individuals, striving to eliminate disparities and improve access to safe, high quality cancer care. She was lead author of consensus based LGBTQIA+ cultural competency standards for training clinicians and has worked with colleagues across the country to refine how to ask patients and research participants about sexual orientation and gender identity in practice and research.
Additionally, Dr. Pratt-Chapman has served as co-principal investigator for the National Cancer Survivorship Resource Center and has co-authored four holistic clinical practice guidelines on breast, prostate, colorectal, and head and neck cancer survivorship care. She has served as PI and co-PI for four Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute-funded projects to inform health services standards for cancer survivorship and catalyze dissemination and implementation of evidence-based cancer survivorship and patient navigation practices. She is in her 12th year of continuous funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to provide technical assistance and training on evidence-based cancer control strategies and health equity to states, tribes, and territories across the U.S. Her work has been adapted and cited by the World Health Organization, Navegación de Pacientes International, and Abrale (Brazilian Leukemia & Lymphoma Society).
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