Staff: Robin C. Vanderpool, DrPH
Robin C. Vanderpool, DrPH, is chief of the Health Communication and Informatics Research Branch (HCIRB) in the Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences (DCCPS) at the National Cancer Institute (NCI). As branch chief, Dr. Vanderpool leads a team focused on the development of health communication research initiatives for the extramural community, including cancer communication surveillance, patient-provider communication, cancer risk communication, health literacy, and digital health. Dr. Vanderpool also partners with NCI’s Cancer Information Service to evaluate programmatic data and contributes to the Office of Cancer Centers’ support of community outreach and engagement activities at NCI cancer centers.
Dr. Vanderpool's scientific background includes both formative and interventional research across the cancer care continuum, with a special interest in rural cancer control. Prior to joining NCI, Dr. Vanderpool was a professor in the Department of Health, Behavior & Society, part of the University of Kentucky (UK) College of Public Health. She also held leadership positions at the NCI-designated UK Markey Cancer Center as the Associate Director for Community Outreach and Engagement and Co-Director of the Behavioral and Community-Based Research Shared Resource Facility.
Dr. Vanderpool earned her Doctor of Public Health, with a concentration in Health Behavior, from UK. She received her Master of Public Health in Public Health Education from Western Kentucky University and her Bachelor of Science in Psychobiology from Centre College.
Scientific Interests
- Cancer information-seeking behaviors
- Rural cancer control
- Digital health
- Health-related stigma
- Patient-centered communication
- Community outreach and engagement
Selected Publications and Presentations
- Cappella JN, Gaysynsky A, Chou WS, Heley K, Vanderpool RC. Critical Considerations for Using Cultural Targeting and Tailoring in Health Communication Interventions. Health Commun 2024 Dec 12:1-12.
- Vanderpool RC, Muro A, Jensen RE. Advancing a telehealth and cancer control research agenda at the US National Cancer Institute. J Natl Cancer Inst Monogr 2024 Jun 26; 2024(64):51-54.
- Heley K, Vedham V, Vanderpool RC. The global landscape of cancer stigma research and practice: perspectives, measures, interventions, and actions for change. J Natl Cancer Inst Monogr 2024 Jun 5; 2024(63):1-3.
- Vanderpool RC, Blake KD, Chou WS, D'Angelo H, Everson NS, Iles IA, Gaysynsky A. Contributions to Research and Practice Made by the National Cancer Institute's Health Communication and Informatics Research Branch. Health Commun 2024 Mar 14:1-8.
- Klein WMP, Chou WS, Vanderpool RC. Health Information in 2023 (and Beyond): Confronting Emergent Realities With Health Communication Science. JAMA 2023 Sep 26; 330(12):1131-1132.
To request edits to this profile, please contact us at ncidccpsbrpadvances@mail.nih.gov.