Cheung Research Lab
PORTFOLIO
Inspired by patient wisdom, we conduct user experience (UX) research to inform human-centered products and services by investigating issues of health equity, financial hardship, and embodied research in psychosocial oncology with emphasis on minoritized adolescent & young adult (AYA) cancer patients. Our goal is to eliminate unnecessary suffering.
– Christabel K. Cheung, PhD, MSW
Principal Investigator
Health Equity

Project: The After Cancer Study: Social genomics of adolescent and young adult lymphoma survivors
Objective: Identify and define functional genomic pathways through which psychosocial and social environmental risk and resilience factors influence gene regulation in AYA cancer survivors, and thus contribute to a greater understanding of health disparities in post-treatment survivorship.
Results: Reviewed prior studies of social genomics and published findings in a peer-reviewed journal: Social genomics as a framework for understanding health disparities among adolescent and young adult cancer survivors: A commentary.
Journal of Clinical Oncology (2022)

Project: Developing a global patient-centered core outcome set for adolescent and young adult oncology
Objective: Develop a globally validated core outcome set product to measure psychosocial outcomes for teen and young adult cancer patients in collaboration with international partners from the UK and The Netherlands Cancer Institute
Results: Reviewed prior studies of core outcome sets in psychosocial oncology and published findings in a peer-reviewed journal: The next step for global adolescent and young adult oncology: Development of a core patient-centered outcome set
Journal of the National Cancer Institute (2022)

Project: Characterizing online user experiences of teens and young adults after cancer
Objective: Explore and explain the user experiences of teens and young adults to explore and describe how online interactions maybe helpful and/or harmful following a diagnosis of cancer.
Results: Findings from this qualitative study revealed important nuances for product developers and service providers to consider for greater inclusivity of young patients online. Results were published in a peer-reviewed journal: 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 (2022)

Project: Vital best practices for antiracist patient engagement
Objective: Identify and describe user experiences of underrepresented populations and develop recommendations for policies and practices to dismantle racism and advance antiracist approaches that are co-developed by BIPOC teen and young adult cancer patients and oncology professionals.
Results: Findings from a mixed-methods Delphi study of BIPOC users are currently in review for publication in peer-reviewed journal. Recommendations for antiracist approaches from oncology professionals were published in a peer-reviewed article: A call to action: Antiracist patient engagement in adolescent and young adult oncology research and advocacy
Future Oncology (2021)

Project: The impact of a cancer diagnosis on siblings
Objective: Systematically review the scientific body of literature to date on how a cancer diagnosis affects the well-being of siblings of a cancer patient across the lifespan.
Results: Revealed positive and negative impacts of cancer on the well-being of siblings and gaps in knowledge for future research. Results published in a peer-reviewed journal: The impact of a cancer diagnosis on sibling relationships from childhood through young adulthood: A systematic review
Journal of Family Social Work (2020)

Project: Chapter in Oxford University textbook focused on psychosocial well-being of adolescent and young adult cancer patients
Objective: Led review of scientific evidence on the psychosocial care of adolescent and young adult cancer patients and explicated next steps for future research for oncology clinicians, researchers, and policy makers.
Results: Findings published in chapter 88: Adolescent and young adult patients
Psycho-oncology (4th edition). New York, NY: Oxford University Press. (2021)

Project: Chapter in Oxford University textbook focused on palliative care of adolescents and young adults
Objective: Led review of scientific evidence on palliative and end-of-life care for adolescent and young adult cancer patients and detailed guidelines and practices for health care providers interested in improving clinical encounters.
Results: Findings published in chapter 13: Adolescents and young adults living with serious illness
Oxford Textbook of Palliative Social Work (2nd edition). New York, NY: Oxford University Press (2022)

Project: Exploring teen and young adult preferences for cancer products and services
Objective: Generate user experience findings from teen and young adult cancer patients to inform developers on how to create products consistent with user preferences for cancer information and support.
Results: Findings from mixed-methods study published in Journal of Supportive Care in Cancer (2017)
Financial Hardship


Project: Understanding financial hardship of young military cancer patients
Objective: Research the user experiences of active-duty military young adult cancer patients to explore and describe how they experience financial hardship following a diagnosis of cancer.
Results: Findings were endorsed by the U.S. Army Medical Command, disseminated across all branches of the U.S. Military, and published in a peer-reviewed journal: Capturing the financial hardship of cancer in military adolescent and young adult patients: A conceptual framework
Journal of Psychosocial Oncology (2021)

Project: The impact of living in low-income areas on cancer outcomes
Objective: Identify and describe the association between living in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas and worse cancer outcomes for cancer patients, even after receiving optimal health care by participating in clinical trials.
Results: Findings from quantitative analysis were presented at a global research conference and published in a peer-reviewed journal: Persistent disparity: Socioeconomic deprivation and cancer outcomes in patients treated in clinical trials
Journal of Clinical Oncology (2021)

Project: Measuring the financial burden of cancer
Objective: Systematically review measurement itools used in empirical studies to assess the financial burden of cancer on adolescent and young adult cancer patients and their caregivers.
Results: Systematic review of financial burden assessment in cancer: Evaluation of measures and utility among adolescents and young adults and caregivers
Cancer (2021)
Embodied Research

Project: Young cancer patients as future leaders in the global knowledge economy
Objective: Research user experiences of embodied young cancer patients and make the case for the benefits of their embodied research contributions.
Results: Findings were presented at the 2nd Annual Global AYA Cancer Congress and subsequently published in a peer-reviewed journal: Young cancer patients as future leaders in the global knowledge economy

Project: Podcast Interview for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
Objective: Part Two of a special two-part series in which Dr. Christabel Cheung, a two-time Hodgkin Lymphoma Survivor, talks about her extraordinary struggles as a young adult with cancer and issues of health disparities, racism and racial insensitivity that BIPOC patients experience.
Results: Interview was published in a long-form podcast: Hodgkin’s lymphoma: Struggles of a young adult with cancer with Dr. Christabel Cheung: Part 2
The Bloodline with Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (2021)

Project: Podcast Interview for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
Objective: Part One of a special two-part series in which Dr. Christabel Cheung, a two-time Hodgkin Lymphoma Survivor, talks about her longtime journey with lymphoma including her struggles within initial diagnosis and relapse as part of a small percentage that didn’t respond to first-line treatment.
Results: Interview was published in a long-form podcast: Hodgkin’s lymphoma: Struggles of a young adult with cancer with Dr. Christabel Cheung: Part 1
The Bloodline with Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (2021)

Project: Antiracist cancer survivorship advice for BIPOC patients
Objective: Authentically discuss the user experiences of BIPOC AYA cancer patients in their interactions with oncology health care providers, researchers, and non-profit advocacy efforts to build community among BIPOC AYA cancer patients and anyone interested in promoting their well-being.
Results: Written discussion was published in a magazine targeted at young-adult audiences: Practically speaking: Antiracist survivorship advice from and for young BIPOC patients
Elephants and Tea Magazine (2020)

Project: Cancer survivorship among young Black women
Objective: Case example of two young Black women whose longtime friendship began before their respective cancer struggles and have left strong imprints on what we know about cancer survivorship for young racially minoritized patients.
Results: Written discussion was published on the Jade Gangster blog and reprinted in a magazine targeted at young-adult audiences: Black girl cancer magic
Elephants and Tea Magazine (2020)

Project: Embodied research methods for topic selection by BIPOC AYA patient scientists
Objective: Case example of two BIPOC adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer patients who demonstrate the empiricism of embodied knowledge with a rigorous and transparent method for research topic selection and prioritization.
Results: Manuscript published in a peer-reviewed, interdisciplinary journal: Centering Black Swans: Embodied Research in Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology Oppositional Conversations (2021)
LAB MEMBERS
Christabel K. Cheung, PhD, MSW is a social and behavioral scientist, health equity strategist, and UX researcher with over 25 years of professional experience. Bria is from Baltimore, Maryland. She currently attends Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine as a medical student. Bria joined forces with Dr. Cheung’s Research Lab in 2020 when she matched with Dr. Cheung as her mentee in the National Cancer Institute’s Nathan Schnaper Internship Program. She is an alumn of Loyola University of Maryland with a Bachelor of Bio-Psychology degree and an alum of Geisinger Common Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine with a Master of Biomedical Sciences (MBS) degree. Bria joined forces with Dr. Cheung’s Research Lab when she matched with Dr. Cheung as her mentee in the National Cancer Institute’s Nathan Schnaper Internship Program in 2020. She has continued at Cheung Research Lab ever since. As a senior lab member, Bria has been instrumental on numerous projects and resulting publications including, “Capturing the financial hardship of cancer in military adolescent and young adult patients: A conceptual framework,” “A thin line between helpful and harmful Internet usage: Embodied research on Internet experiences among adolescent and young adult cancer patients”, and “A call to action: Antiracist patient engagement in adolescent and young adult oncology research and advocacy.” In her free time, she enjoys painting, volunteering within the Baltimore community, and cooking. Bria also loves to volunteer! Currently, she is a crisis counselor with The Crisis Text Line and previously she co-led the McChicken Project – an organization that supported disenfranchised niches in Baltimore city by providing food, clothing, and sanitary supplies. Haelim is a doctoral student at the University of Maryland School of Social Work. She received her BA in Social Welfare from Chung-Ang University and her MSW from Yonsei University. Haelim worked as a post-adoption services social worker in a child welfare organization following her graduate studies. Haelim’s current research interests are focused on racial and ethnic health disparities, interaction of child welfare and health disparities in minoritized children, and adverse childhood experiences. She is currently working with Dr. Cheung to conduct research on the impact of financial hardship and disparities among BIPOC and LGBTQ+ cancer patients including studies centered on best practices for BIPOC patient engagement in the conduct of research. Khrystin is an MSW student at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Social Work, where she is concentrating her studies on clinical social work. She also holds a BA degree in Sociology from American Public University. Her current research interests include developmental disabilities, adolescent and young adult cancer survivorship, and psychosocial oncology primarily focused on adolescent and young adult cancer patients in the domains of financial hardship, social determinants of health, disparities, and mental health. She is currently working with Dr. Cheung on a project centered on financial navigation in oncology. In her free time, she enjoys playing video games, going on hikes, and watching movies. Shanice Harris is a licensed social worker in Maryland and DC practicing psychotherapy. She holds a BA in Psychology from The City University of New York at Brooklyn College, and received her Masters in Social Work from the University of Maryland, Baltimore. Shanice is a full-spectrum doula, Reiki Master, and Zumba instructor, and hopes to continue developing as a researcher and practitioner within the field of medicine. She currently serves as a Research Scholar in Dr. Cheung's lab supporting "Patient centered navigation strategies to reduce financial hardship across cancer treatment and survival." Shanice is a native New Yorker of Caribbean descent, living in Baltimore, and is passionate about contributing to healing the effects of systemic oppression on the black body, mind and spirit. Shanice is a proud millennial and enjoys spending her free time rewatching 90s/00s sitcoms, eating good food, and reading about people’s birth charts. Jordan is an MSW student at the University of Maryland School of Social Work. She holds a BA in Sociology and Family Science from the University of Maryland, College Park. Her current research interests include racial and ethnic disparities in health care, and the disproportionate impacts of discrimination on the health and well-being of minority populations in child welfare. She interns in the Foster Care unit with the Prince George’s Department of Social Services. She currently works with Dr. Cheung, pursuing research on the psychological impacts of cancer survivorship with a concentration on financial hardship, the social determinants of health, and antiracist, gender affirming practice. During her free time, she enjoys reading, collecting vinyls, and running. Valentina graduated with a MSW from the University of Maryland, Baltimore in 2022. Valentina aspires to earn her PhD in Social Work and conduct research on how stigma and conceptualizations of mental illness impact treatment experiences. Currently, Valentina works as a dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) therapist at the DBT Center of Greater Washington. She has contributed to Dr. Cheung’s studies focused on best practices for antiracist patient engagement; disparities among sexual/gender minority patients in oncology, and financial navigation. In her free time, Valentina enjoys writing music, visiting art museums, and trying new recipes. Rachel grew up in Nashville, TN. She received her bachelor’s degree in neuroscience from the College of Wooster in Ohio and her master’s degree in social work from the University of Maryland Baltimore. She now works as an oncology social worker with Life with Cancer at Inova Schar Cancer Institute. Rachel has assisted with Dr. Cheung’s study and resulting publication: “A call to action: Antiracist patient engagement in adolescent and young adult oncology research and advocacy.” She enjoys reading young adult novels, hiking with her partner Henry, and snuggling with her two cats — Oliver and Ellie — and her young pup — Riley. Thuli is originally Zimbabwean, but she has grown up all over the United States. She is at the University of Maryland School of Social Work PhD program focused on culturally responsive mental health care. With Dr. Cheung, Thuli has co-authored: “The impact of a cancer diagnosis on siblings across the lifespan: A systematic review,” “Capturing the financial hardship of cancer in military adolescent and young adult patients: A conceptual framework,” and “A call to action: Antiracist patient engagement in adolescent and young adult oncology research and advocacy.” Outside of school and work, Thuli enjoys playing with her young son, reading fiction not at all related to her studies, and watching British television as escapism. Laura is an MSW alum of the University of Maryland School of Social Work, where she concentrated her studies on clinical behavioral health. She holds a BA in psychology from the University of Maryland, where she also assisted with research in psychotherapeutic interventions and worked for her school's peer-support and crisis intervention hotline. Laura's current research and practice interests are in psychotherapy, suicide prevention, and crisis intervention. Laura's most significant research contributions to Cheung Research Lab have been helping to develop a systematic review of the scientific literature on the impact of a cancer diagnosis on sibling relationships from childhood through young adulthood and a study focused on the financial hardship of cancer in military adolescent and young adult patients. In her free time, she enjoys weightlifting, listening to musical comedy, and dancing in her kitchen.
RESEARCH IMPACT
(including 2 podcasts)IMPACT AWARDS
ALUMNI