Kimberly Kaphingst

Kimberly Kaphingst is a Professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Utah, where she has been employed since 2014. She serves as Associate Chair in her department, Co-Leader for the Cancer Control and Population Sciences Program, Research Director of the Genetic Counseling Shared Resource, and Director of Cancer Communication Research at the Huntsman Cancer Institute.

• ScD in Health Communication (Harvard School of Public Health)
• ScM in Public Health (Harvard School of Public Health)

Her research spans health communication, digital health, genetic literacy, and informed consent. She investigates patient responses to cancer genetic information, develops chatbots for genomic services, and implements consent strategies for clinical trials. Recent work examines social vulnerability in genetic testing, neighborhood health literacy impacts, and medication shortage disparities.

Key article trends show expertise in digital health interventions for genetic services, cancer risk communication, health disparities, and AI-powered clinical tools. Her 2025 studies focus on chatbot efficacy for at-home COVID-19 testing and improving genetic service access through EHR integration.

She teaches Health Communication courses and secures significant NIH funding for population-scale genetic screening and cancer prevention projects. Her work bridges communication theory, clinical implementation, and public health policy to address structural barriers in genomic medicine.