Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center clinical researcher Dr. Rachel Issaka was just named the inaugural recipient of The Kathryn Surace-Smith Endowed Chair in Health Equity Research.
The new endowed chair will help advance Issaka’s research, which focuses on reducing colorectal cancer deaths and disparities, particularly among members of racial/ethnic minority groups and low-income populations, through increased screening and follow-up of non-invasive screening tests.
“It is an honor to receive this endowed chair in health equity research,” said the gastroenterologist and clinical researcher. “I’m grateful for Kathy Surace-Smith, Brad Smith and Fred Hutch’s investment in my research program and health equity at large. My inspiration and resolve to address health disparities in colorectal cancer and other diseases is renewed.”
Issaka, who joined the faculty of the Hutch, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance and the University of Washington in 2017 from the University of California, San Francisco, said the flexible funding that an endowed chair provides is especially meaningful for early-career researchers, who often face a funding gap between career development awards and large National Institutes of Health research project grants or equivalent awards.
