“We have gynecologic and medical oncologists, technicians, pathologists and other specialists,” Dr. George said. “But we also need people to engage with communities and governments to explain what we’re doing and get their buy-in. At the same time, we’re collecting data from individuals who speak at least four languages — English, French, Spanish and Haitian Creole — in addition to country-specific tribal languages.”

She and her team have been investigating women’s cancers and how they genetically differ in these communities from people with European ancestries. The researchers are particularly focused on BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations, which increase the risk for breast and ovarian cancers. People of African ancestry, in particular, have been understudied, and this has led to wide disparities in care. She and research partner Matthew Schlumbrecht, M.D., M.P.H., professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences, recently expanded their study of the ovarian cancer drug niraparib to Africa, giving them access to a previously underrepresented population.

“We are intently focused on people of the African diaspora,” Dr. George said. “When we look at the mortality for breast and gynecologic cancers, Caribbean and African countries are quite high. We’re trying to understand why certain populations have this high burden of disease, as well as being diagnosed at younger ages and having more aggressive cancers.”