Leah Karliner

Dr. Leah Karliner is a Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), with a focus on General Internal Medicine and Health Services Research. She directs the Center for Aging in Diverse Communities (CADC) and the Multiethnic Health Equity Research Center (MERC), both dedicated to reducing health disparities through improved communication and clinical outcomes. Her work emphasizes care for limited English proficiency (LEP) patients, older adults, and vulnerable populations. She holds an MD from UCSF and completed her residency and research fellowship there.

Education:

• Bachelor of Arts (Columbia University, 1988)
• MD (UCSF School of Medicine, 1996)
• Master of Advanced Studies in Clinical Research (UCSF, 2005)
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Champion Training (2022)

Research Interests: Dr. Karliner’s work focuses on health equity, including communication barriers in healthcare for LEP patients, disparities in cancer care, and transitions of care for older adults. She investigates implementation science strategies to improve clinical practices and reduce disparities in chronic disease management, breast cancer follow-up, and hospital discharge processes. Her research integrates clinician-patient communication, interpreter use, and system-level interventions to enhance healthcare quality.

Grants & Awards: Her leadership in NIH-funded initiatives includes:

• NIA-funded Center for Aging in Diverse Communities (P30AG015272)
• K24 Mid-Career Investigator Award (K24AG067003)

Labs/Teams: Directs CADC and MERC, collaborating with interdisciplinary teams on projects like the ERADAR dementia detection algorithm and initiatives to improve interpreter access in healthcare settings.