Sora Park Tanjasiri
Professor, Department of Health, Society and Behavior, School of Public Health
Associate Director, Community Outreach & Engagement, Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center
DrPH, University of California, Los Angeles, Community Health Sciences
M.P.H., University of California, Los Angeles, Behavioral Sciences
B.A., University of California, Berkeley, Biochemistry
M.P.H., University of California, Los Angeles, Behavioral Sciences
B.A., University of California, Berkeley, Biochemistry
University of California, Irvine
856 Health Sciences Quad
Suite 3232
Irvine, CA 92697
856 Health Sciences Quad
Suite 3232
Irvine, CA 92697
Research Interests
Cancer health disparities, cancer prevention, breast and cervical early detection, community-based participatory research
Academic Distinctions
UCI College of Health Sciences Faculty Assembly Orange County Population Health Impact Award, 2025
Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Research, University of California, Irvine, May 2024
Wang Family Excellence Award in Education, and Professional and Applied Sciences, California State University Office of the Chancellor, January 2015
Champions of Health Professions Diversity Award, The California Wellness Foundation, June 2013
Outstanding Professor Award, California State University, Fullerton, 2012-2013
Distinguished Faculty Member/Faculty Marshall Award, College of Health & Human Development, California State University, Fullerton, May 2010
Chancellor’s Award in Clinical and Translational Science: Promising Community Research Investigator, University of California, Irvine, November 2009
Christopher N.H. Jenkins Cancer Control Award, Asian American Network for Cancer Awareness, Research and Training, 2008
Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Research, University of California, Irvine, May 2024
Wang Family Excellence Award in Education, and Professional and Applied Sciences, California State University Office of the Chancellor, January 2015
Champions of Health Professions Diversity Award, The California Wellness Foundation, June 2013
Outstanding Professor Award, California State University, Fullerton, 2012-2013
Distinguished Faculty Member/Faculty Marshall Award, College of Health & Human Development, California State University, Fullerton, May 2010
Chancellor’s Award in Clinical and Translational Science: Promising Community Research Investigator, University of California, Irvine, November 2009
Christopher N.H. Jenkins Cancer Control Award, Asian American Network for Cancer Awareness, Research and Training, 2008
Awards and Honors
Asian Pacific Partners for Empowerment, Advocacy and Leadership (APPEAL) Lifetime Achievement Award, Sept 2021
Publications
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
Nguyen CT & Tanjasiri SP. (2026). Vaccine Beliefs and Intentions Among Vietnamese Americans. Health Promotion Practice, p.15248399251394711.
Morey BN, Subica A, Tanjasiri SP, Penaia C, Chang RC, Tulua A, Fok CL, Paul S, Fifita M, Marquez C, Park R, Ponce NA. (2026). Community-Engaged Respondent Driven Sampling: the California Pacific Islander Well-being And COVID-19 Economic Survey, 2024. American Journal of Public Health.
Garcia S, Tanjasiri SP, Hopfer S (2026). Multilevel factors associated with HPV vaccine initiation and completion among Mexican American young adult women from Federally Qualified Health Centers in Orange County, CA. Behavioral Medicine, 52(1), pp.16-27. https://doi.org/10.1080/08964289.2025.2523599
Michelen M, LeBrón AMW, Zarate S, Montiel GI, Cantero PJ, Salazar R, Chirinos N, Foo MA, Peralta S, Morey BN, Tanjasiri SP, & Billimek J. (2025). Reflecting on the Backstage and Frontstage of Community-Based Participatory Research: Ethics and Collaboration in the CATALYST Study. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 24. https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069251376308
Garcia S, Tanjasiri SP, Tran J, Ahn E, Huang S, Nguyen B, Tsui J. (2025). Assessing multilevel barriers and facilitators to implementing cancer screening strategies among Asian Americans in Federally Qualified health Centers: a case study of a community-clinic partnership to improve care for safety-net patients. Translational Behavioral Medicine, 15(1), ibaf047. https://doi.org/10.1093/tbm/ibaf047
Nguyen C, Tanjasiri SP. (2025). Predictors of HPV and Hep B vaccination beliefs and behaviors among Vietnamese American young adults: Implications for dual vaccine coverage. Human Vaccines Immunotherapeutics, 21(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/21645515.2025.2532275
Varansai AP, Burhansstipanov L, Dorn C, Gentry S, Capossela M, Fox K, Wilson DM, Tanjasiri SP, Odumosu OA, & Ferrer ES. (2024). Patient navigation job roles by levels of experience: National Navigation Roundtable Workforce Development Task Group. Cancer, 130 (9): 1549-1567.
Guan A, Tanlingdan ACS, Tanjasiri SP, Kanaya AM, Gomez SL. (2024). Lessons Learned from immigrant health cohorts: a review of the evidence and implications for policy and practice in addressing health inequities among Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. Annual Review of Public Health, 45: 401-424.
Kumar P, Del Rosario M, Chang J, Ziogas A, Jafari MD, Bristow RE, Tanjasiri SP, & Zell JA. (2023). Population-based analysis of National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guideline adherence for patients with anal squamous cell carcinoma in California. Cancers, 15(5): 1465.
Tanjasiri SP, Lee C, LaBreche M, Lepule T, Lutu G, May VT, Pang JK, Pike J, Tan N, Sabado M, Schmidt-Vaivao D, Soakai L, Fifita M, Toilolo T, & Palmer PH. (2022). Community-based recruitment strategies for young adult Pacific Islanders into a randomized community smoking cessation trial. Progress in Community Health Partnerships.
Del Rosario M, Chang, J, Ziogas A, Clair K, Bristow RE, Tanjasiri SP, Zell JA. (2022). Differential effects of race, socioeconomic status, and insurance on disease-specific survival in rectal cancer. Diseases of the Colon & Rectum, doi: 10.1097/DCR.0000000000002341.
Morey BN, Subica A, Tanjasiri SP, Penaia C, Chang RC, Tulua A, Fok CL, Paul S, Fifita M, Marquez C, Park R, Ponce NA. (2026). Community-Engaged Respondent Driven Sampling: the California Pacific Islander Well-being And COVID-19 Economic Survey, 2024. American Journal of Public Health.
Garcia S, Tanjasiri SP, Hopfer S (2026). Multilevel factors associated with HPV vaccine initiation and completion among Mexican American young adult women from Federally Qualified Health Centers in Orange County, CA. Behavioral Medicine, 52(1), pp.16-27. https://doi.org/10.1080/08964289.2025.2523599
Michelen M, LeBrón AMW, Zarate S, Montiel GI, Cantero PJ, Salazar R, Chirinos N, Foo MA, Peralta S, Morey BN, Tanjasiri SP, & Billimek J. (2025). Reflecting on the Backstage and Frontstage of Community-Based Participatory Research: Ethics and Collaboration in the CATALYST Study. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 24. https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069251376308
Garcia S, Tanjasiri SP, Tran J, Ahn E, Huang S, Nguyen B, Tsui J. (2025). Assessing multilevel barriers and facilitators to implementing cancer screening strategies among Asian Americans in Federally Qualified health Centers: a case study of a community-clinic partnership to improve care for safety-net patients. Translational Behavioral Medicine, 15(1), ibaf047. https://doi.org/10.1093/tbm/ibaf047
Nguyen C, Tanjasiri SP. (2025). Predictors of HPV and Hep B vaccination beliefs and behaviors among Vietnamese American young adults: Implications for dual vaccine coverage. Human Vaccines Immunotherapeutics, 21(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/21645515.2025.2532275
Varansai AP, Burhansstipanov L, Dorn C, Gentry S, Capossela M, Fox K, Wilson DM, Tanjasiri SP, Odumosu OA, & Ferrer ES. (2024). Patient navigation job roles by levels of experience: National Navigation Roundtable Workforce Development Task Group. Cancer, 130 (9): 1549-1567.
Guan A, Tanlingdan ACS, Tanjasiri SP, Kanaya AM, Gomez SL. (2024). Lessons Learned from immigrant health cohorts: a review of the evidence and implications for policy and practice in addressing health inequities among Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. Annual Review of Public Health, 45: 401-424.
Kumar P, Del Rosario M, Chang J, Ziogas A, Jafari MD, Bristow RE, Tanjasiri SP, & Zell JA. (2023). Population-based analysis of National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guideline adherence for patients with anal squamous cell carcinoma in California. Cancers, 15(5): 1465.
Tanjasiri SP, Lee C, LaBreche M, Lepule T, Lutu G, May VT, Pang JK, Pike J, Tan N, Sabado M, Schmidt-Vaivao D, Soakai L, Fifita M, Toilolo T, & Palmer PH. (2022). Community-based recruitment strategies for young adult Pacific Islanders into a randomized community smoking cessation trial. Progress in Community Health Partnerships.
Del Rosario M, Chang, J, Ziogas A, Clair K, Bristow RE, Tanjasiri SP, Zell JA. (2022). Differential effects of race, socioeconomic status, and insurance on disease-specific survival in rectal cancer. Diseases of the Colon & Rectum, doi: 10.1097/DCR.0000000000002341.
Garcia S, Hopfer S, Amaro H, Tanjasiri SP. (2022) HPV vaccine delay and refusal among unvaccinated Mexican American young adult women: a qualitative investigation of Mexican-born and US-born HPV vaccine decision narrative. J Behavioral Medicine.
Hopfer S, Duong HT, Garcia S, & Tanjasiri SP. (2021). Health information source characteristics matter: Adapting the dissemination of an HPV vaccine intervention to reach Latina and Vietnamese women. The Journal of Primary Prevention.
Mouttapa M, Cunningham M, Tanjasiri SP. (2021). Awareness of and support for HPV vaccination among Pacific Islander women in Southern California. Journal of Cancer Education, published online February 4, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-021-01965-9.
Morey B, Tulua A, Tanjasiri SP, Subica AM, Kaholokula JK, Thomas K, Chang RC, Ponce NA, Ong P, Ong E. (2020). Structural Racism and Its Effects on Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders in the United States: Issues of Health Equity, Census Undercounting, and Voter Disenfranchisement. AAPI Nexus Journal, 17 (1&2).
Ah Soon N, Akee R, Kagawa M, Morey B, Ong E, Ong P, Ponce N, Samoa R, & Tanjasiri SP. (2020). Counting race and ethnicity for small populations during the COVID-19 pandemic. AAPI Nexus Journal, 17 (1&2): 1-7.
Tanjasiri SP, Mouttapa M, Weiss JW, Sablan-Santos L. (2019). Outcomes of a randomized community trial to increase Pap testing among Pacific Islander women in Southern California. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-18-1306.
Mouttapa M, Cunningham M, Tanjasiri SP. (2021). Awareness of and support for HPV vaccination among Pacific Islander women in Southern California. Journal of Cancer Education, published online February 4, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-021-01965-9.
Morey B, Tulua A, Tanjasiri SP, Subica AM, Kaholokula JK, Thomas K, Chang RC, Ponce NA, Ong P, Ong E. (2020). Structural Racism and Its Effects on Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders in the United States: Issues of Health Equity, Census Undercounting, and Voter Disenfranchisement. AAPI Nexus Journal, 17 (1&2).
Ah Soon N, Akee R, Kagawa M, Morey B, Ong E, Ong P, Ponce N, Samoa R, & Tanjasiri SP. (2020). Counting race and ethnicity for small populations during the COVID-19 pandemic. AAPI Nexus Journal, 17 (1&2): 1-7.
Tanjasiri SP, Mouttapa M, Weiss JW, Sablan-Santos L. (2019). Outcomes of a randomized community trial to increase Pap testing among Pacific Islander women in Southern California. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-18-1306.
Complete List of Published Work in My Bibliography:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/myncbi/sora.tanjasiri.1/bibliography/40832819/public/?sort=date&direction=ascending
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/myncbi/sora.tanjasiri.1/bibliography/40832819/public/?sort=date&direction=ascending
Grants
Cancer Health Equity Research Partnership (CHERP), 9/23/21-8/31/26 (P20CA253254). Funded by the NCI, this grant establishes a highly integrated and interactive cancer disparities partnership between CSUF and UCI-CFCCC for research and student training in cancer health equity.
Optimizing Equitable Community Tobacco Policy Promotion for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, 7/1/22-6/30/26, $581,193 (T32CR5232; PI: Tanjasiri, Quon). This study aims to understand the degree to which community-based tobacco control programs are optimally located to address health disparities in tobacco policy adoption among Asian American and Pacific Islander populations in Los Angeles and Orange Counties.
Achieving Cancer Control Together for Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, 9/1/2025-12/31/2027, $248,503. (PI: Tanjasiri). This Pfizer-funded quality improvement study aims to increase navigation to cancer prevention, early detection, diagnosis and treatment in breast, cervical, colorectal and lung cancers for NHPIs in Orange County.
A National Asian American cohort for assessing multi-level determinants in cancer etiology: the ASPIRE Cohort, 5/15/2024-4/30/2029, $1,096,355 (total award) (1U01CA290831; MPIs: Gomez, Cheng, & Shariff-Marco). This study will build the national population-based ASPIRE– ASian American ProspectIve REsearch– Cohort with recruitment of 20,000 males and females, ages 40-75. ASPIRE will address the research priorities of small populations, intersectionality, and the role of structural and social determinants of health in pathways to cancer risk, including social epigenomics of stress embodiment, health behaviors, and healthcare access. Role: Co-I.
Other Experience
Link to this profile
https://faculty.uci.edu/profile/?facultyId=6470
https://faculty.uci.edu/profile/?facultyId=6470
Last updated
06/01/2026
06/01/2026