Nancy Burke

Dr. Nancy Burke is an affiliated Professor of Medical Anthropology at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), with a focus on social and cultural processes in chronic disease management, clinical trials recruitment, and cancer disparities. She serves as Co-Director of the UC-Cuba Academic Initiative and was appointed Chair of Public Health at UC Merced in 2015. Her research integrates bioethics, health equity, and cultural analysis.

• B.A., English Literature, University of Tennessee (1990)
• M.A., English Literature, University of Oregon (1995)
• Ph.D., Cultural Anthropology, University of New Mexico (2001)

Dr. Burke's research explores health disparities in cancer care, social determinants of health, and safety net healthcare systems. A key area involves addressing public health challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, including vaccine hesitancy and anti-Asian discrimination. Her work also spans agricultural occupational health and policy advocacy for marginalized communities.

Recent publications highlight implementation science in complex care clinics, community health worker partnerships, and structural interventions for homelessness. Her studies often employ mixed methods and ethnographic approaches to understand health literacy and sociocultural barriers in underserved populations.

• Phi Beta Kappa National Honor Society (1990)
• Graduate Teaching Fellowship, University of Oregon (1994)
• NCI-funded Cancer, Culture, and Literacy Institute Fellow (2004–present)
• NIH Health Disparities Loan Repayment Program (2005)
• Advanced Training Institute on Health Behavior Theory, NCI (2002)

Dr. Burke has led or co-led NIH, NSF, and TRDRP-funded studies on health equity, including projects on farmworker safety, Cuban healthcare systems, and COVID-19 in Asian American communities. She collaborates with community organizations like the Pilipino Senior Resource Center and Cambodian Women's Association, emphasizing community-engaged research and peer navigation for vulnerable groups.