Stacy W. Gray Lab
Research Lab Overview
All patients should have access to the tests, treatments and prevention strategies that will be most effective given their particular situation — that is the vision for precision medicine. However, it is well established that many cancer patients do not get the highest quality care that they desperately need. In Dr. Gray’s lab, researchers aim to realize the promise of precision cancer medicine for all patients through translational genomics. The Gray lab focuses on improving access to genomic testing and targeted therapies, developing innovative cancer prevention and screening strategies, eliminating care disparities, and rapidly translating innovative and effective new technologies into the clinic.
Stacy Gray, M.D., A.M., is a professor at City of Hope's comprehensive cancer center and Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope. Dr. Gray completed her medical degree, a master's degree in public policy and her clinical training at the University of Chicago. She completed postdoctoral research fellowships in cancer communication at the University of Pennsylvania and in cancer outcomes at the Massachusetts General Hospital, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School.
Lab Members
Pat Boyd, Ph.D., is a social psychologist and behavioral
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Pat Boyd, Ph.D., is a social psychologist and behavioral scientist by training. He is currently a Staff Scientist in the Division of Clinical Cancer Genomics at City of Hope. He completed his postdoc as a Cancer Research Training Award fellow at National Cancer Institute in the Health Behaviors Research Branch. Following his postdoc, he worked as a Senior Analytics and Research Scientist at Press Ganey before joining City of Hope. Pat’s research examines how health behaviors and intentions are shaped by multiple levels of influence, and how existential concerns, personality, and emotions are important factors to consider in health settings. He utilizes both qualitative and quantitative methodologies in his research.
Sandra Davey, M.P.H., is a Clinical Research Administrator in the
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Sandra Davey, M.P.H., is a Clinical Research Administrator in the Gray Lab. She received her Master of Public Health in Health Education from California State University, Northridge, and her Bachelor of Science in Community Health Science from California State University, Los Angeles. She specializes in managing complex clinical research protocols and has extensive experience overseeing multi-site studies in cancer research. She has a particular interest in precision medicine, improving health communication and promoting health equity.
Yi Xiao is a data scientist at the SWG Lab, where she contributes
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Yi Xiao is a data scientist at the SWG Lab, where she contributes to projects at the intersection of data science, public health, and biomedical research. She joined the lab in 2022 after earning her Master’s degree in Biostatistics from Columbia University. Yi brings a strong foundation in statistical modeling, data visualization, and machine learning, with a particular interest in applying quantitative methods to improve health outcomes and inform clinical decision-making. Yi is passionate about using data to drive meaningful change and is committed to advancing research through rigorous, transparent, and innovative approaches.
Jenna Hoopes is a biostatistician at the Gray lab. She received a
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Jenna Hoopes is a biostatistician at the Gray lab. She received a bachelor’s degree at the University of California Los Angeles and a graduate degree in Biostatistics at Drexel University. Prior to joining the lab in 2025, she worked in neuroscience, psychology and cancer research at UCLA, the University of Pennsylvania, and most recently Thomas Jefferson University. She is ecstatic about continuing her work in cancer research at the City of Hope, one of the top cancer centers in the country.
Justin Martinez is a clinical research associate in the Gray lab.
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Justin Martinez is a clinical research associate in the Gray lab. He earned his bachelor's degree in cognitive science with a specialization in neuroscience from the University of California, San Diego, before joining the lab in 2024. As an aspiring physician, he is passionate about reducing barriers to genetic care and empowering patients through informed medical decisions, particularly for underserved communities. He considers it an honor to be involved in research that focuses on improving early cancer detection and enhancing family communication around hereditary risk, helping bridge the gap between research and real-world clinical applications.
Cassiel Suarez serves as a clinical research assistant in the
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Cassiel Suarez serves as a clinical research assistant in the Gray Lab. She earned her bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of California, Davis, complemented by a minor in Chicano Studies. Cassiel is enthusiastic about pursuing a graduate degree in clinical psychology and is dedicated to continuing her career in research.
Loretta Sanchez is an Executive Assistant at City of Hope,
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Loretta Sanchez is an Executive Assistant at City of Hope, supporting Dr. Stacy Gray. She received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology from California State University Los Angeles. She has over 25 years of Office Administrative and Management experience managing complex calendars, streamlining effective communication, and enhancing her organizational skills. She has an unwavering commitment to the teams she supports, including Dr. Stacy Gray’s Lab.
Sarah Labib is a clinical research associate in the Gray lab. She
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Sarah Labib is a clinical research associate in the Gray lab. She completed her Bachelor of Science at the University of California Santa Barbara with a major in biology and a minor in religious studies. She is interested in becoming a physician.
Clinical Collaborators
- Alexandra Capasso, M.S., GCC
- Sandra Dreike, M.S., CGC
- Hunaydah Elfarawi, M.S., CGC
- Heather Hampel, M.S., CGC
- Ashley Mochizuki, M.S., CGC
- Michael Restrepo, M.S., CGC
- Kathryn Reyes, M.S., CGC
- Ilana Solomon, Sc.M., M.A., CGC
Lab Alumni
- Sofia Amaya
- Madeline Currey
- Michael Garcia, M.I.D.S.
- Hengrui Hu, M.S.
- Maria (Pilar) Ibarra-Noriega
- Lisa Lopez, RN
- Marilan Luong, M.P.H.
- Vanessa Lozano Puello
- Frank Munoz, Ph.D.
- Ran Qiao
- Catherine Raquel
- Jenny Shen, M.A.
- Ernesto Sosa, M.P.H., M.S.W.
- Melissa Sur
- Katherine Uchida
- Sam Wing, Ph.D.
- Xiaoke (Coco) Zou, M.Sc.
Key Studies
Widespread utilization of genomic sequencing in medicine creates an urgent need to educate providers and patients so that they can make informed medical decisions. In order to address this critical need, we have designed and are testing e-Health communication tools that will help providers and patients to better understand genomic data. Our intervention, HOPE-Genomics 1) educates patients about genomics, 2) enables direct-to-patient return-of-results, and 3) includes interactive features to facilitate patients’ use of and communication about genetic information. We hypothesize that the use of HOPE-Genomics will result in improved knowledge and better care. Further, to make genomic results accessible to non-English speakers, we are adapting and pilot testing our tool for Spanish and Mandarin speaking patients. In exploratory work, we will also incorporate moderated social networks into HOPE-Genomics and adapt the tool for other clinical situations.
Through the City of Hope Center for Precision Medicine INSPIRE study, we are dramatically increasing access to germline and somatic sequencing. Dr. Gray, Dr. Gruber and collaborators in the Center for Precision Medicine are analyzing INSPIRE data to determine the clinical utility of genetic testing and to determine how increased access to testing impacts patients' psychological outcomes following test results.
Approximately 15% of individuals with cancer have an inherited form of cancer due to a pathogenic variant in a cancer susceptibility gene. However, the majority of people who carry cancer susceptibility mutations are unaware of their risk. Dr. Gray, Professor Hampel, and collaborators are leading the Family HOPE study to ensure that more people know if they have inherited cancer risk. In Family HOPE we aim to increase “cascade” genetic testing through provider- mediated contact of family members. This new model of care promises to reach significantly more at-risk relatives and transform efforts in cancer control and prevention.
Massively parallel DNA sequencing promises to dramatically improve outcomes for hundreds of thousands of cancer patients yearly. However, in order to test patients at scale, innovations in informed consent are needed. In this study, we are developing web-based methods to augment informed consent for sequencing and exploring patient and provider reactions to the identification of unanticipated sequencing results.
Genomic testing profoundly impacts the care of cancer and high-risk patients when it helps to clarify a diagnosis, refine treatment options, enhance prognostication, or identify a familial risk syndrome. Despite the fact that genomic testing is standard-of-care for many patients there is significant underutilization of, and disparities in, genomic testing in ovarian cancer. In order to identify women with ovarian cancer who need genomic testing, Drs. Gray, Niland and collaborators developed and tested a natural language processing pipeline to rapidly and accurately extract genomic testing data from the electronic health record. This project serves as a model for how informatics tools can be leveraged to evaluate, and ultimately improve, cancer care.
Genetic testing plays a critical role in early cancer detection and guiding treatment decisions. However, these benefits are often limited by gaps in communication of test results within families, leaving at-risk relatives unaware of their potential genetic risk. This issue is compounded by the absence of standardized practices for providers to facilitate family communication and by persistent disparities in genetic counseling and testing among underrepresented racial and ethnic groups.
The Family1st Study aims to develop and evaluate a multilevel e-Health intervention designed to improve communication of genetic risk information within families. By addressing these barriers, Family1st seeks to advance equitable access to genetic information and support informed decision-making in cancer prevention and care.
Our Publications
Gray SW, O’Grady C, Karp L, Smith D, Schwartz JS, Hornik R, Armstrong K. Cancer Epidemiol, Biomarkers and Prev. 2009 Apr; 18(4): 1303-11. PMID: 19318436
Gray SW, Hicks-Courant K, Cronin A, Rollins BJ, Weeks JC. J Clin Oncol. 2014 May 1;32(13):1317-23. Epub 2014 Mar 24. PMID: 24663044
Gray SW, Martins Y, Feuerman LZ, Bernhardt BA, Biesecker BB, Christensen KD, Joffe S, Rini C, Veenstra D, McGuire AL. Genet Med. 2014 Oct;16(10):727-35. Epub 2014 Mar 13. PMID: 24625446
Jarvik GP, Amendola LM, Berg JS, Brothers K, Clayton EW, Chung W, Evans BJ, Evans JP, Fullerton SM, Gallego CJ, Garrison NA, Gray SW, Holm IA, Kullo IJ, Lehmann LS, McCarty C, Prows CA, Rehm HL, Sharp RR, Salama J, Sanderson S, Van Driest SL, Williams MS, Wolf SM, Wolf WA; eMERGE Act-ROR Committee and CERC Committee; CSER Act-ROR Working Group, Burke W. Am J Hum Genet. 2014 Jun 5;94 (6):818-26. Epub 2014 May 8. PMID: 24814192
Van Allen EM, Wagle N, Stojanov P, Perrin DL, Cibulskis K, Marlow S, Jane-Valbuena J, Friedrich DC, Kryukov G, Carter SL, McKenna A, Sivachenko A, Rosenberg M, Kiezun A, Voet D, Lawrence M, Lichtenstein LT, Gentry JG, Huang FW, Fostel J, Farlow D, Barbie D, Gandhi L, Lander ES, Gray SW, Joffe S, Janne P, Garber J, MacConaill L, Lindeman N, Rollins B, Kantoff P, Fisher SA, Gabriel S, Getz G, and Garraway LA. Nat Med. 2014 Jun;20 (6):682-8. Epub 2014 May 18. PMID: 24836576
Gray SW, Park ER, Najita J, Martins Y, Traeger L, Bair E, Gagne J, Garber J, Jänne PA, Lindeman N, Lowenstein C, Oliver N, Sholl L, Van Allen EM, Wagle N, Wood S, Garraway L, Joffe S. Genet Med. 2016 Oct;18(10):1011-9. Epub. 2016 Feb 11. PMID: 26866579
Gray SW, Gollust SE, Carere DA, Chen CA, Cronin A, Kalia SS, Rana HQ, Ruffin MT 4th, Wang C, Roberts JS, Green RC. J Clin Oncol. 2017 Feb 20;35(6):636-644. Epub 2016 Dec 12. PMID: 27937091
Gray SW, Gagan J, Cerami E, Cronin AM, Uno H, Oliver N, Lowenstein C, Leederman R, Revette A, Suarez A, Lee C, Bryan J, Sholl L, Van Allen EM. J Am Med Inform Assoc. 2018, 2018 May 1;25(5):458-464, Jan 5 [Epub ahead of print]. PMID: 29315417
Robinson JO, Wynn J, Biesecker B, Biesecker LG, Bernhardt B, Brothers KB, Chung WK, Christensen KD, Green RC, McGuire AL, Hart MR, Griesemer I, Patrick DL, Rini C, Veenstra D, Cronin AM, Gray SW. Genet Med. 2019 Dec;21(12):2781-2790. PMID: 31189963
Solomon IB, McGraw S, Shen J, Albayrak A, Alverovitz G, Davies M, Del Vecchio Fitz C, Freedman RA, Lopez LN, Sholl L, Van Allen E, Mortimer J, Fakih M, Pal S, Reckamp, Yuan, Gray SW. JCO Precis Oncol. 2020 Apr 14;4. PMID: 32923887
Gray SW, Ottesen RA, Currey M, Cristea M, Nikowitz J, Shehayeb S, LozanoV, Hom J, Kilburn J, Lopez LN, Wing S, Sosa E, Shen S, Morris M, Dilsizian B, Joseph T, Shen J, Adeimy C, Phillips T, Bahadini B, Niland JC. JCO Clinical Cancer Informatics, In Press
Our Partners
Our goal is to increase access to the highest quality precision cancer care for every patient. Given that cancer care delivery research is funded at much lower rates than other cancer research, support from foundations and other philanthropic sources helps to ensure that we can do this critical research.
We thank all of our wonderful donors for their past, current and future support.
Past and Current Grant Support
Contact Information
34.1293487, -117.9726643
Duarte, CA 91010