Emily Hammad Mrig

Dr. Emily Hammad Mrig is an Assistant Professor at the University of California San Francisco, affiliated with the Department of Clinical Pharmacy, the Center for Translational and Policy Research on Precision Medicine (TRANSPERS), the Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center (HDFCCC), and the Institute for Health Policy Studies (IHPS). Her interdisciplinary research examines health disparities in precision medicine, cancer care, and end-of-life policy using mixed-method approaches.

Education includes:

• BA in History/Hispanic Studies from Scripps College
• MA in Medical Anthropology and PhD in Health & Behavioral Sciences from the University of Colorado
• Postdoctoral Fellowship in Health Policy & Management at Yale University

Her research integrates qualitative and quantitative methods to investigate systemic barriers in healthcare access. Current projects analyze cost-related obstacles to molecular diagnostics for lung cancer patients and equitable implementation of genomic sequencing for rare diseases. Work emphasizes policy interventions to address institutional and socioeconomic drivers of health inequities.

Publications consistently explore themes of hospice underutilization, biomedicalization, and health policy in cancer/genetic medicine. Methodologically, they prioritize qualitative analysis of patient-provider dynamics, cultural narratives of hope, and structural determinants of care access across 15+ studies.

Scientific awards include:

• UCSF Population Health & Health Equity Scholars Award (2023)
• NIH-NIMHD Health Disparities Research Institute Scholar (2021)
• Multiple doctoral recognitions for health disparities research

She leads a 2024-2029 NIH/NHGRI grant (Promoting Access to Payment Pathways for Emerging Molecular Diagnostics) as Primary Investigator. Collaborates with TRANSPERS, HDFCCC, and IHPS research teams on policy-relevant studies.