Cancer prevention, treatment & survivorship
Ivan H.C. Wu, PhD
Assistant Professor · University of Minnesota School of Public Health
Member, Masonic Cancer Center
I develop sleep and physical activity interventions for cancer prevention, with a focus on health equity. My research also spans cancer treatment and survivorship.
RESEARCH PRIORITIES
Cancer prevention through sleep and physical activity
My cancer prevention program develops and evaluates behavioral interventions to improve sleep and physical activity in Black/African American communities. Project SHINE and SLEEP-E are foundational pilot trials that evaluate feasibility and sleep and physical activity outcomes. Project SHINE enrollment has closed.
Explore Project SHINE ↗ · SLEEP-E pilot trial ↗
Cancer prevention with communities
With Metro Youth Diversion Center, I study community priorities and training needs to inform a culturally tailored cancer prevention workshop for community health workers serving Somali and Oromo communities.
Workshop-development protocol ↗ · Community partnerships →
Cancer treatment and biological timing
Project TIME uses wearable and health-record data to study patients’ daily rhythms around cancer immunotherapy. This pilot examines measurement feasibility and exploratory associations with treatment timing, delivery, and tolerability.
Explore Project TIME → · UMN SPH coverage ↗
Cancer survivorship and quality of life
I examine financial harm, insurance denial, sleep disturbance, cancer-related fatigue, stigma, and quality of life among people affected by cancer. Recent studies include HINTS and the BOLD breast cancer cohort.
HINTS financial harm study ↗ · BOLD cohort study ↗
NEWS & MEDIA
Biological rhythms and cancer immunotherapy ↗
UMN School of Public Health · September 3, 2026
Know Your Audience ↗
Advances, UMN School of Public Health · Fall 2024
Community partnerships and cancer prevention with East African communities.
Early-Stage Investigator Award ↗
UMN School of Public Health · June 28, 2023
Community-led cancer education research ↗
MPR News · June 9, 2023
Sleep disparities and Black health ↗
Sahan Journal, republished by MPR News · March 9, 2023