CHRISTABEL CHEUNG

Leadership in Health Equity Science & Practice
As an independent consultant, Dr. Christabel Cheung advises on the development of inclusive health care services and health tech products, contributing her scientific and subject matter expertise to optimize equity in user experience (UX) research. She also provides insights on patient-centered clinical practices that promote equity in applied settings.

In her concurrent role as an Associate Professor with tenure at the University of Maryland and Member of the University of Maryland Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, Dr. Cheung leads Cheung Research Lab as its principal investigator. She and her team conduct UX research to inform human-centered products and services to support cancer care and delivery in long-term cancer survivorship with emphasis on patients diagnosed with cancer between ages 15-39 years, adolescents and young adults (AYA) according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Projects include collaborations with cross-functional scientists, engineers, and stakeholders with emphasis on underrepresented BIPOC and LGBTQ+ user audiences. Summarily, she participates as principal investigator or co-investigator in research collaborations supported by over $10 million of secured grant funding.

Awards & Recognition
Her projects have won various industry awards such as the Guiding Researchers and Advocates to Scientific Partnerships (GRASP) Advocate Choice Award at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, the world’s largest clinical cancer research conference with over 5,000 submissions of research and 40,000 attendees. At the University of Maryland, Dr. Cheung's health equity research and scholarship earned the 2025 Camara Jones Faculty Award for advancing social justice. In 2024, she received the JEDI Champion Award for advocacy on behalf of marginalized populations. Additionally, her excellence in teaching graduate courses has been honored with the Dean’s Teaching Award.

Embodied Patient Scientist & Advocate
Dr. Cheung is an embodied patient scientist who is a two-time survivor of AYA cancer and a bone marrow transplant recipient, making her a powerful advocate for health equity. She is the developer of an innovative Model of Embodied Research—a qualitative empirical method for the social sciences and medicine (Cheung, 2024). Dr. Cheung is an in-demand speaker at national and global conferences and events and frequently contributes expert testimony in media interviews. Among her honors, Dr. Cheung joined a delegation of AYA oncology leaders who met with the U.S. President’s Cancer Moonshot team, where she provided expert testimony on the systemic barriers and disparities affecting minoritized cancer patients and their healthcare providers. Her trailblazing cancer blog, Jade Gangster, was acknowledged by the Global AYA Cancer Congress as one of the first to advocate for racially minoritized young adult patients.

Institutional Partners
Her other academic affiliations include esteemed research institutions, including AYA CARES at Michigan Medicine, the MELD Research Group for the Southern California Cancer Surveillance Program, the Emancipatory Sciences Lab at the University of California, San Francisco, the Center for Young Adult Cancer Survivorship Research, the STRONG AYA Core Outcomes Set Study at The Netherlands Cancer Institute, the Asian American Research Center on Health (ARCH), and the University of Hawaii Cancer Center where she serves as Collaborating Member.

A Career Dedicated to Equitable Health Solutions
Overall, Dr. Cheung's expertise and commitment to health equity make her a formidable contributor to the social and behavioral sciences, paving the way for inclusive and sustainable solutions to real-world problems with a goal to eliminate unnecessary suffering by centering patient wisdom.

Dr. Cheung's over 20 years of professional background spans diverse fields, including 12+ years of UX research and eight years of executive management and clinical social work practice in health and mental health services. She also previously worked as a public relations account executive in enterprise technology and owned and operated a small physical fitness business as a certified personal trainer.

She earned a Bachelor of Journalism (BJ) from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Journalism; a Master of Social Welfare (MSW) from the University of California, Berkeley; and a PhD in Social Welfare from the University of California, Los Angeles.

SELECT PUBLICATIONS

ARTICLES IN PEER-REVIEWED JOURNALS:

Waters, A. R., Wheeler, S. B., Fine, J., Cheung, C. K., Tan, K. R., Rosenstein, D. L., Roberson, M. L., & Kent, E. E. (2025). An intersectional analysis of behavioral financial hardship and healthcare utilization among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, plus cancer survivors. JNCI: Journal of the National Cancer Institute. https://doi.org/10.1093/jnci/djae350

Cheung, C. K., Lee, H., Levin, N. J., Ross, V. A., Geng, Y. M., Thomas, B. N., & Roth, M. E. (2024). Provider preparedness to care for sexual and gender minority adolescent and young adult cancer patients: A scoping review. PEC Innovation, 5(15), 100343.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pecinn.2024.100343

Berkman, A. M.,† Choi, E.,† Cheung, C. K., Salsman, J. M., Peterson, S. K., Lu, Q., Livingston, J. A., Hildebrandt, M. A. T, Parsons, S. K., Roth, M. E., (2024). Socioeconomic status and chronic health conditions in Asian survivors of adolescent and young adult cancers. Journal of Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology, 13(2), 262-270. https://doi.org/10.1089/jayao.2023.0083

Choi, E.,† Berkman, A. M.,† Cheung, C. K., Salsman, J. M., Peterson, S. K., Anderson, M. S., Lu, Q., Livingston, J. A., Hildebrandt, M. A. T, Parsons, S. K., Roth, M. E., (2024). Psychological distress and mental health care utilization among lesbian, gay, and bisexual survivors of adolescent and young adult cancer. Supportive Care in Cancer, 32(9), 585. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-024-08778-8

Cheung, C. K., Miller, K. A., Thomas, B. N., Lee, H., Goings, T. C., Brandon, R. E., Katerere-Virima, T., Helbling, L. E., Simmons, C. D., Ross, V. A., Causadias, J. M., Roth, M. E., Berthaud, F. M., Jones, L. P., Betz, G. D., Carter, J., Davies, S., Gilman, M., Lewis, M. A., Lopes, G., & Tucker-Seeley, R. D. (2024). BIPOC experiences of (anti-)racist patient engagement in adolescent & young adult oncology research and advocacy: An e-Delphi study. Future Oncology, 20(9), 547-561. https://doi.org/10.2217/fon-2023-0771

Choi, E.,† Berkman, A. M.,† Battle, A., Betts, A. C., Salsman, J. M., Milam, J., Andersen, C. R., Miller, K. A., Peterson, S. K., Lu, Q., Cheung, C. K., Livingston, J. A., Hildebrandt, M. A. T., Parsons, S. K., Freyer, D., & Roth, M. E. (2024). Psychological distress and mental health care utilization among Black survivors of adolescent and young adult cancer. Cancer, 130(17), 3011-3022. https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.35348

Berkman, A. M.,† Choi, E.,† Salsman, J. M., Cheung, C. K., Peterson, S. K., Lu, Q., Livingston, J. A., Hildebrandt, M. A. T, Parsons, S. K., Roth, M. E. (2024). Excess risk of chronic health conditions in Hispanic survivors of adolescent and young adult cancers. Journal of Cancer Survivorship, 18(3), 907-916. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11764-023-01342-z

Berkman, A. M.,† Choi, E.,† Cheung, C. K., Salsman, J. M., Peterson, S. K., Anderson, M. S., Lu, Q., Livingston, J. A., Hildebrandt, M. A. T, Parsons, S. K., Roth, M. E., (2024). Risk of chronic health conditions in lesbian, gay, and bisexual survivors of adolescent and young adult cancers. Cancer, 130(4) 553-562. https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.35015

Husson, O., Janssen, S. H .M., Reeve, B. R., Sodergren, S., Cheung, C. K., McCabe, M. G., Salsman, J. M., van der Graaf, W., & Darlington, A. S. (2024). Protocol for the development of a core outcome set (COS) for adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with cancer. BMC Cancer, 24(1), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-023-11716-2

Marchese, V., Brockmeyer, A., McCarthy, E., Saeed G. M., Gorman, E. F., Cheung, C. K., & Felter, C. (2024). Psychosocial barriers and physical activity in children with neuromotor impairments: A scoping review. Physical Therapy Reviews, 29(1-3), 30-46. https://doi.org/10.1080/10833196.2024.2362043

Cheung, C.K., Jones, L. P., Lee, H., Bridges, J. N., Tucker-Seeley, R., Vyfhuis, M. A. L., Gianelle, M., Thomas, B. N., Betz, G. D., Waldo, L., Hirsch, A. S., & Ntiri, S. O. (2023). Anticipatory guidance: Developing a patient navigation pathway to reduce the financial toxicity of cancer. Medical Research Archives, 11(10). https://doi.org/10.18103/mra.v11i10.4582

Berkman, A. M.,† Choi, E.,† Cheung, C. K., Salsman, J. M., Peterson, S. K., Lu, Q., Livingston, J. A., Hildebrandt, M. A. T, Parsons, S. K., Roth, M. E., (2023). Excess risk of chronic health conditions in Black adolescent and young adult cancer survivors. Journal of Cancer Survivorship, 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11764-023-01433-x

Choi, E.,† Berkman, A. M.,† Cheung, C. K., Betts, A. C., Salsman, J. M., Andersen, C. R., Ochoa-Dominguez, C., Miller, K. A., Milam, J., Shah, A., Peterson, S. K., Lu, Q., Livingston, J. A., Hildebrandt, M.A.T, Parsons, S.K., Freyer, D., & Roth, M.E. (2023). Psychological distress and mental health care utilization among Hispanic/Latino survivors of adolescent and young adult cancer. Psycho-Oncology, 32(12), 1918-1929. https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.6248

Cheung, C. K., Lee, H., Levin, N. J., Ross, V. A., Geng, Y. M., Thomas, B. N., & Roth, M. E. (2023). Disparities in cancer care among sexual and gender minority adolescent and young adult patients: A scoping review. Cancer Medicine, 12(13), 14674-14693. https://doi.org/10.1002/cam4.6090

Cheung, C. K., Nishimoto, P. W., Katerere-Virima, T., Helbling, L. E., Thomas, B. N., & Tucker-Seeley, R. (2022). Capturing the financial hardship of cancer in military adolescent and young adult patients: A conceptual framework. Journal of Psychosocial Oncology, 40(4), 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1080/07347332.2021.1937771

Ghazal, L. V., Cole, S., Salsman, J. M., Wagner, L., Duan, F., Gareen, I., Lux, L., Parsons, S. K., Cheung, C.K., Loeb, D. M., Prasad, P., Dinner, S., & Zebrack, B. (2022). Social genomics as a framework for understanding health disparities among adolescent and young adult cancer survivors: A commentary. JCO Precision Oncology, 6, e2100462. https://doi.org/10.1200/PO.21.00462

Husson, O., Reeve, B. R., Darlington, A. S., Cheung, C. K., Sodergren, S., van der Graaf, W., & Salsman, J. M. (2022). The next step for global adolescent and young adult oncology: Development of a core patient-centered outcome set. Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 114(4), 496-502. https://doi.org/10.1093/jnci/djab217

Masuda, C., Aggarwal, L., Bray, M. L., Cheung, C. K., Kim, B. J., Aida Wen, A., Okamoto, L., Uechi, M., Lee, Y. J. & Kamal Masaki,K. (2022). Preventive care and outcomes of interprofessional Medicare annual wellness visits for older patients.” International Journal of Environmental Research Public Health, 19(24), 16752. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192416752

Cheung, C. K., Norlander, M. G., Vest, A. N., Thomas, B. N. & Zebrack, B. J. (2022). A thin line between helpful and harmful Internet usage: Embodied research on Internet experiences among adolescent and young adult cancer patients. Journal of Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology, 11(5), 478-485. https://doi.org/10.1089/jayao.2021.0113

Cheung, C. K., Tucker-Seeley, R., Davies, S., Gilman, M., Miller, K. A., Lopes, G., Betz, G. D., Katerere-Virima, T., Helbling, L. E., Thomas, B. N., & Lewis, M. A. (2021). A call to action: Antiracist patient engagement in adolescent and young adult oncology research and advocacy. Future Oncology, 17(28), 3743–3756. https://doi.org/10.2217/fon-2020-1213

Cheung, C. K. & Simmons, C. D. (2021). Centering black swans: Embodied research in adolescent and young adult oncology. Oppositional Conversations, (5). http://www.oppositionalconversations.org/issue-v-contestations/2021/5/5/centering-black-swans-embodied-research-in-adolescent-and-young-adult-oncology

Unger, J. M., Moseley, A. B., Cheung, C. K., Osarogiagbon, R. U., Symington, B., Ramsey, S. D., & Hershman, D. L. (2021). Persistent disparity: Socioeconomic deprivation and cancer outcomes in patients treated in clinical trials. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 39(12), 1339-1348. https://doi.org/10.1200/JCO.20.02602

Salsman, J. M., Danhauer, S. C., Moore, J. B., Ip, E. H., McLouth, L. E., Nightingale, C. L., Cheung, C. K., Bingen, K. M., Tucker‐Seeley, R. D., Little‐Greene, D., Howard, D. S., & Reeve, B. B. (2021). Systematic review of financial burden assessment in cancer: Evaluation of measures and utility among adolescents and young adults and caregivers. Cancer, 127(11), 1739-1748. https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.33559

BOOK CHAPTERS:

Cheung, C.K. (2024). Embodied research methods: The empiricism of lived experiences to advance health equity. In N. Rezaei (Ed.) Cancer Research: An Interdisciplinary Approach (2nd ed.). Switzerland: Springer Nature. https://doi.org/10.1007/16833_2024_432

Cheung, C.K. & Wiener, L. (2022). Adolescents and young adults living with serious illness. In T. Altilio, S. Otis-Green & J. Cagle (Eds.) Oxford Textbook of Palliative Social Work (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/med/9780197537855.001.0001

Cheung, C.K., Santacroce, S. J., Zebrack, B.J. (2021). Adolescent and young adult patients. In W. Breitbart (Ed.) Psycho-oncology (4th ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/med/9780190097653.003.0089

^†Contributed equally as co-first authors

Bibliography at the National Library of Medicine here.