Dr. Kimlin Tam Ashing, professor and founding director of the Center of Community Alliance for Research & Education at City of Hope National Medical Center, is championing a paradigm shift in how cancer research translates into meaningful policy change through community engagement.
Speaking at the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2025, Dr. Ashing highlighted the critical role communities play in bridging scientific discoveries and policy implementation. "Community engagement is so fundamental to the science that we do," she explained. "As scientists, we really have been late to embracing that approach, but communities are clearly ready."
The Bidirectional Value of Community Partnerships
According to Dr. Ashing, community partnerships serve multiple essential functions in cancer research. They enhance the relevance and responsiveness of scientific work to community needs, improve trustworthiness of research institutions within community settings, and accelerate science communication.
"Our community partners can be our voice to accelerate science communication and the belief that science belongs to the public," Dr. Ashing noted. "Our community partners can be trusted representatives of the community to be an extension of our voice and partners in our voice."
This approach recognizes that without data on specific communities or populations, they effectively "don't exist in the medical realm," creating blind spots in cancer care and policy development.
Translating Complex Research into Accessible Information
One of the most valuable contributions of community engagement is helping researchers communicate findings effectively. Dr. Ashing emphasized that community partners assist in developing appropriate language, presentation formats, and communication platforms tailored to specific communities.
"Our communities are clearly very diverse in terms of linguistic capacity," she said. "It's so important that they help us develop the language, the presentation, and the platform that's used; different communities use different platforms. There could be radio, newsletters, local newspapers, television, and, of course, social media that's distinct to the communities that they serve."
Practical Strategies for Meaningful Community Collaboration
Dr. Ashing advocates for researchers to step outside their institutions and meet communities where they are—at health fairs, faith-based organizations, and through advocacy groups. She describes the relationship as genuinely bidirectional, with communities offering valuable wisdom, knowledge, and resources.
"Communities have health resources. They have ways that they've already used to address the community's needs," she explained. "In my personal experience, communities have really helped me advance my science. They have connected me with other community partners that I may not have known about."
In return, research institutions can offer data science expertise, library resources, and grant-writing assistance to community organizations, creating a mutually beneficial partnership.
From Research to Policy: The Cancer Care Equity Act Success Story
Dr. Ashing highlighted a concrete example of how community engagement translated research into policy change. Recognizing disparities in cancer outcomes among Medi-Cal patients in California, her team worked with community partners to gather data on attitudes about healthcare access.
"Over a few years, and with the engagement of diverse community partners, including large-scale advocacy organizations, as well as grassroots community partners, we've been able, in 2021, to have the Cancer Care Equity Act law passed in California," she reported.
This landmark legislation now allows Medi-Cal patients with complex cancers to access specialized cancer care, precision medicine, immunotherapy, genetic testing, and clinical trials—resources previously unavailable to them.
The Future of Community Engagement in Cancer Policy
Looking ahead, Dr. Ashing sees community engagement as an increasingly vital component of cancer research and policy development. While progress has been made in training community advocates to understand science and research protocols, she believes the next frontier is advancing this work into the policy arena.
"Communities are the hot topic. It's where we need to go, and we need to go fast," she urged. "Now, we need to advance that work in terms of the policy arena."
The success of initiatives like the Cancer Care Equity Act demonstrates the potential impact of community-driven policy change on addressing cancer disparities and improving outcomes for underserved populations.
As cancer research continues to advance, Dr. Ashing's work suggests that meaningful community engagement isn't just good practice—it's essential for ensuring that scientific discoveries translate into equitable policies that benefit all communities affected by cancer.
