Shelley Adler

Shelley Adler, Ph.D., is a faculty-level researcher at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), specialising in integrative health, mindfulness-based interventions, palliative care, and health equity. Following post-doctoral training in sociocultural gerontology at UCSF (1992–1995), she has remained continuously affiliated with UCSF, holding recognitions such as membership in the Haile T. Debas Academy of Medical Educators and selection as a UCSF Champion of Diversity.

Education

• University of California, Berkeley – A.B., English (1981–1985)
• University of California, Los Angeles – M.A., Folklore (1985–1987)
• Hebrew University of Jerusalem – Graduate Fellow, Anthropology (1987–1988)
• University of California, Los Angeles – Ph.D., Folklore (1988–1991)
• University of California, San Francisco – Post-doctoral Fellow, Sociocultural Gerontology (1992–1995)

Research Interests

Dr. Adler’s scholarship bridges medical anthropology, integrative medicine, and population health. Her work explores how mindfulness-based and other complementary interventions can reduce suffering, improve quality of life, and address inequities among medically underserved groups—including breast-cancer survivors, immigrants, and persons living with dementia. She employs qualitative and mixed-methods designs to examine cultural adaptation of therapies, placebo/nocebo mechanisms, and community-engaged research models.

Publication Themes

Across 25 years of peer-reviewed output, her articles cluster into four dominant themes: (1) development and validation of mindfulness-based interventions for chronic pain and depression; (2) integrative health equity and culturally-tailored care for racial/ethnic minorities and immigrants; (3) palliative and end-of-life care innovation; and (4) educational scholarship on integrative curricula for medical and pre-licensure learners. The 2024–2025 studies highlight smartphone-delivered mindfulness tools, community-based metta meditation trials, and coaching models for individuals with intellectual disabilities.

Scientific Awards & Honors

• Member, Haile T. Debas Academy of Medical Educators (2005)
• Faith Fancher Award for Outstanding Breast Cancer Research Proposal in Underserved Populations, California Breast Cancer Research Program (2005)
• UCSF/Coro Faculty Leadership Collaborative (2006)
• UCSF Champion of Diversity (2008)

Grants & Advising

While specific grant numbers are not listed, the publication titles and acknowledgements indicate continuous extramural funding from the California Breast Cancer Research Program and NIH-affiliated mechanisms supporting mindfulness, integrative oncology, and palliative care trials. Community advisory boards and interprofessional trainee mentorship are recurrent elements in her projects.

Labs & Teams

Dr. Adler collaborates extensively with the UCSF Osher Center for Integrative Health, the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, and cross-campus initiatives such as the UCSF/Coro Faculty Leadership Collaborative. These partnerships enable multi-disciplinary teams spanning anthropology, psychology, oncology, nursing, and medical education.