# Family Centered Approaches to Promoting Cascade Screening for Hereditary Cancer Syndromes among African Americans

> **NIH NIH K01** · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · 2024 · $172,800

## Abstract

Research has shown that African Americans are less likely than other racial groups to engage in genetic
testing for hereditary cancer syndromes, which can uncover genetic mutations that increase cancer risk.
African Americans also have lower rates of cancer cascade testing, a process for providing genetic counseling
and testing for relatives of African Americans who are known carriers of specific cancer-related genetic
mutations. As clinical genetic testing becoming increasingly available, it is critically important to design
interventions to reach all populations, especially those that have been traditionally underserved. Tailored
strategies are particularly useful for increasing intervention access and uptake where health disparities exist.
This career development award provides Dr. Ellis the opportunity to develop and test a family-tailored
intervention to increase cancer cascade testing among African Americans. This award focuses on
strengthening the investigator’s skills in intervention research and cancer genetics. Her long-term career goal
is to become an independent investigator with expertise in conducting family-based intervention research to
improve cancer outcomes among African Americans. Dr. Ellis’ graduate-level training in public health (health
behavior and education) and social work (interpersonal practice with individuals and families), and postdoctoral
training in cancer health disparities, puts her in a unique position to develop interventions that attend to both
the psychosocial and behavioral aspects of cancer genetic testing for African American families. The career
development goals and mentoring plan include courses and workshops; guided mentoring, including directed
readings with mentors; experiential learning, including shadowing in a cancer genetics clinic and intervention
development, testing, and evaluation; tailored health messaging development; attendance and participation at
professional conferences; and, manuscript and grant writing and submissions. These activities support the
execution of the specific aims, which are to: (1) Identify intrapersonal and interpersonal facilitators and barriers
to African American family communication about genetic testing and cascade testing through eight focus
groups; (2) Develop a tailored, eHealth intervention for African American families that encourages uptake of
recommended cascade genetic testing by improving communication about genetic testing results and targeting
drivers of and barriers to behavior change (e.g., knowledge, attitudes, skills for communication and testing); (3)
Conduct a pilot test of the intervention with 30 families to evaluate intervention feasibility, acceptability and
engagement and explore its potential impact on cascade testing. Dr. Ellis’ mentoring team has expertise in
each of her key developmental areas. At the completion of this K01 award, Dr. Ellis will have the expertise to
become an independent investigator who conducts family-based interventi...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10918086
- **Project number:** 5K01CA255137-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR
- **Principal Investigator:** Katrina Renee Ellis
- **Activity code:** K01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $172,800
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2022-09-21 → 2027-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10918086

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10918086, Family Centered Approaches to Promoting Cascade Screening for Hereditary Cancer Syndromes among African Americans (5K01CA255137-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10918086. Licensed CC0.

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