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Dr. Ana Navarro is an Associate Professor in the Department of Family Medicine And Public Health at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), and has an adjunct appointment in the San Diego State University Graduate School of Public Health. In this capacity, she has mentored minority SDSU undergraduates conducting cancer research projects that emphasize minorities.

Dr. Navarro serves on numerous state and national initiatives to address cancer disparities, including the California Dialogue on Cancer (Research and Surveillance Committee and Health Disparities committee) and the Intercultural Cancer Council (ICC). She has also served as UCSD PI of the Cooperative Planning of the SDSU-UCSD Cancer Center Partnership since its inception and is UCSD PI of the Comprehensive SDSU-UCSD Cancer Center Partnership.

Dr. Navarro’s research emphasizes cancer disparities. She has built innovative community-based health interventions targeting the Latino population in San Diego who represent both a low socio-economic level and a low level of acculturation. Her research relies on lay health community advisors to enhance health and improve access to health care. Dr. Navarro has also conducted evaluations of lay health community models. Her current research and community projects are in the area of cancer prevention and control, in particular early detection, tobacco-free communities, and nutrition cancer control.

Dr. Navarro has received many awards for her contributions to the Latino community as a scientist and as a community volunteer. The San Diego chapter of the National Latina Organization MANA chose Dr. Navarro as one of four Latinas honored in the 1997 Brindis working in Science and Technology. Dr. Navarro was recognized by MANA de San Diego honored Latinas in Health Careers in 2002, with the Estrella de la Esperanza award by the local chapter of the American Cancer Society in 2005, and as MANA de San Diego Member of the Year in 2006. She also received the 2008 Harold P. Freeman Outreach award from the California Division of the American Cancer Society.