Katriina Whitaker

Professor Katriina Whitaker is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Surrey's School of Health Sciences, co-leading the Cancer Care Expert Group within the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences. Her research focuses on early cancer diagnosis, healthcare-seeking behaviors, and health inequalities, with particular attention to marginalized populations. She holds a BSc from the University of Bristol, an MSc from University College London (UCL), and a PhD in Psychology (Cancer Research UK Studentship) from UCL. Her professional accolades include Fellowship of the British Psychological Society (2017) and membership on Cancer Research UK's Early Detection & Diagnosis Research Panel.

• Education:
  • BSc in Experimental Psychology (First Class), University of Bristol (2002)
  • MSc in Research Methods (Distinction), University College London (2004)
  • PhD in Psychology (Cancer Research UK Studentship), University College London (2008)

Her research interests span cancer early diagnosis, symptom appraisal, health psychology, and equity in healthcare access. Notable projects include analyzing barriers to colonoscopy in ethnic minorities and investigating interpreting service utilization among South Asian populations. Recent work highlights intersectionality in breast cancer care pathways and the role of smoking status in lung cancer diagnosis decision-making.

Publications emphasize healthcare inequities, with a focus on primary care dynamics and patient-provider communication. Awards include the 2012–2015 Cancer Research UK Postdoctoral Fellowship at UCL/Surrey. She supervises PhD students researching topics such as diagnostic delays in learning disabilities and electronic database use in colorectal cancer outcomes.

• Awards:
  • Fellow of the British Psychological Society (2017–current)
  • Cancer Research UK Expert Panel Member (2021–current)

Collaborations include leading the NIHR-funded study on learning disability diagnostic inequities and the Cancer Awareness Policy Research Unit (PRU). Her work addresses systemic barriers in healthcare access and promotes culturally sensitive care.