Dr. William Calo is an assistant professor at the Penn State College of Medicine. His research program examines how to adapt, implement, and evaluate best practices to improve cancer prevention and control among underserved communities, especially rural and Hispanic populations. Dr. Calo is currently focused on the study of communication, systems, and policy interventions to address vaccine hesitancy and improve HPV vaccination. He first became interested in HPV vaccination and cancer prevention and control through the work of his former mentors Ana Ortiz, Maria Fernandez, and Noel Brewer. Dr. Calo is also passionate about minority health and the application of implementation science to better advance health equity.

His current R37 is a randomized controlled trial with primary care clinics in rural Pennsylvania. The study is innovative in leveraging existing communication training infrastructure to deliver best practices for HPV vaccination where they are needed most and in developing a greater understanding of the influences on decision making among vaccine-declining parents. In addition to this project, Dr. Calo directs the Implementation Science Lab for Community Health and is actively engaged in multiple implementation science projects in the community and clinical resource-constrained settings.