Crystal Chu

Crystal Chu, PhD, is an Assistant Professor at the University of Virginia School of Nursing. She earned her doctorate in 2023 and transitioned from a post-doctoral fellowship to faculty position. Her research focuses on developing decision-making tools for breast cancer patients, particularly those considering contralateral prophylactic mastectomy (CPM) and advanced screening options.

Her core research interests include:

• Patient decision aids for surgical oncology choices
• Risk communication in breast cancer screening
• Implementation of decision support tools in clinical practice
• Psychosocial aspects of cancer treatment decisions

Dr. Chu's publications demonstrate consistent focus on oncology decision-making, with recent work expanding into pediatric oncology trials and environmental barriers to physical activity. Her research employs diverse methodologies including integrative reviews, pilot implementations, and randomized trials.

She received the Young Scholar Award from the Medical Decision-Making Society for her innovative work on patient decision tools. Current research involves developing a comprehensive decision aid series addressing risk tolerance, economic factors, and decisional conflict across the breast cancer care continuum.