On Apr. 2, the Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Institute (IHSI) and Mayo Clinic & Illinois Alliance for Technology-Based Healthcare (Alliance) hosted Transforming Health Disparities through Community Clinical Trials at the Beckman Institute. Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center Director of Community Clinic Trials Administration Dr. Kim M. Barbel Johnson aimed to shed light on community engagement and community-based participatory research. The event attracted 70 attendees from 35 departments and seven colleges across the Illinois campus as well as external health organizations, including Carle Hospital, Jump Simulation, and Pfizer.
With nearly three decades of clinical and research experience in Jacksonville, Florida, Barbel Johnson is a respected health advocate known for her integrity, collaborative spirit, and ability to inspire multi-disciplinary teams.
Because of the longstanding collaboration with Mayo Clinic, Barbel Johnson was invited to the Illinois campus to learn more about our Alliance and explore pathways for deeper connection and collaborative opportunities. Ahead of her presentation, she met with a group of Illinois researchers to understand how they incorporate health equity principles in their work, including researchers from CIMED, Illinois Extension, Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, School of information Sciences, College of Education, Geography & Geographic Information Systems, and Bioengineering.
“Barbel Johnson was impressed with the interdisciplinary and collaborative nature of the work at Illinois and how these researchers approach health equity, which may lead to new avenues for research collaboration between institutions,” said IHSI Clinical Partnerships Manager LeaAnn Carson.
Dr. Margarita Teran-Garcia is the Director of Allied Health Professions at the University of Illinois Extension. She conducts transdisciplinary research on obesity and other nutrition-related diseases, such as diabetes and hypertension, among low-income populations. Teran-Garcia joined Barbel Johnson and the health equity researchers from Illinois and attended the presentation.
"Dr. Barbel Johnson's visit was truly impactful. We share similar goals and approaches to engaging with community health collaborations, and I look forward to more conversations with her,” Teran-Garcia explained. “Her presentation and vision were critical for students in the health equity research space. She presented excellent collaboration models, and I wish more clinicians were aware of this approach for managing chronic diseases, not just cancer."
Deborah Miller, Director for Clinical Partnerships and Translation at IHSI, believes in stacking opportunities for greater impact and hopes that these interactions might lead to more collaborative research and joint projects between Illinois and Mayo Clinic, like the currently funded ARPA-H MarginDx project.
Barbel Johnson is a leader and mentor for the Health Equity Research Experience (HERE) at Mayo Clinic, one of many educational programs coordinated by Carson and offered through the Mayo Clinic & Illinois Alliance. Established in 2023, the program provides selected Illinois undergraduates who are interested in health equity the opportunity to gain research skills and learn from clinicians and scientists at a highly respected healthcare institution for 10 weeks over the summer.
“The Mayo Clinic & Illinois Alliance exemplifies the power of institutional collaboration in creating transformative educational experiences. We're not just shaping future professionals; we're fostering long-term relationships with individuals passionate about advancing health equity,” Barbel Johnson said. “I see HERE evolving from a program focused primarily on research to a comprehensive health equity initiative that influences policy, clinical practice, and community health simultaneously.”
In preparation for the 2025 and 2026 HERE programs, Carson and Barbel Johnson wanted to create stronger connections with the former HERE students and allow Barbel Johnson to meet the incoming Summer 2025 students. Before her presentation, she met with a group of Illinois students from pre-health, pre-med, and public health and the incoming 2025 HERE cohort. The incoming cohort had the opportunity to connect with 2023 HERE student Brandon Snipe and 2024 HERE students Kristel Ong and Anjali Yedavalli, who attended the presentation.
Miller explained how Dr. Barbel Johnson quickly became part of the extended Illinois family with her community-centric, patient-focused, student mentor approach in their very first meetings with her.
“Dr. Barbel Johnson exudes warmth and confidence and caring and it’s clear that she leads with compassion and expertise,” Miller said. “She is dedicated to developing future leaders in health equity research.”
Miller described how meeting with interested students, faculty, and staff during her visit to Illinois allowed Dr. Barbel Johnson to share her invaluable mentorship and perspective while enhancing the HERE program through in-person interactions.
“Creating meaningful connections with both former and upcoming summer 2025 HERE students will ensure a richer and more personalized experience for all involved,” Miller said.
During the presentation, Barbel Johnson discussed her work on evaluating innovative approaches to increasing diverse participation in cancer clinical trials through community engagement, analyzing implementation strategies that effectively bridge academic research and community participation, and demonstrating the measurable impact of community-engaged clinical trials on reducing cancer disparities.
“If there was a picture in my mind that I’m going to take back, it was the group of incredible leaders I met with on this campus today who are so vast and so passionate about health equity,” Barbel Johnson said as her presentation began. “And then I met with students, I love students. I would have all the students I met with this morning as part of my life, and I hope that I shared some wisdom with that group.”
Barbel Johnson described her extensive work in health equity and community clinical trials, emphasizing the importance of trust in clinical practice and the development of future leaders in health equity research. She shared success stories of increased clinical trial participation and improved outcomes through intentional community engagement, underscoring the interconnected nature of structural and social drivers of health and their impact on cancer disparities, advocating for increased diversity in clinical trials.
“While some of my slides have some cancer-specific themes, because that's what I do, I hope that, like I saw in the room this morning, there's a message for each and every one of you as to how we move this work ahead together,” Barbel Johnson said.
Emphasizing the transformative potential of technology, community engagement, and mentorship in advancing health equity and improving cancer care, Barbel Johnson highlighted the role of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and digital health technologies in enhancing clinical trials.
“I am very much building my itinerary as I wake every morning thinking about the legacy I leave, but I also stand on the shoulders of many people, including those who conceptualize this very thing that we’re doing, this Alliance that we are proud to have between Mayo Clinic and Illinois,” Barbel Johnson said. “So history is important, but where are we going? The reason we’re here talking about health disparities is because we know that while there will be history and we have goals and priorities as we look at trends and insights, a lot of those areas are intertwined in these interconnected, contributing areas of disparity.”
Stressing the importance of understanding real-world challenges and focusing on impactful research, Barbel Johnson encourages aspiring researchers to be proactive, seek mentors, and engage in interdisciplinary collaboration. Describing her mentorship of Illinois students in the Health Equity Research Experience at Mayo Clinic, she highlighted her efforts to address barriers to patient participation in clinical trials by engaging community physicians, faith-based leaders, and other stakeholders.
The presentation underscored the critical role of community engagement, diversity, and interdisciplinary collaboration in advancing health equity and improving cancer care, lessons that extend beyond clinical trials and into the work of all community-engaged research.
“Dr. Barbel Johnson spoke at length that the most important issue to overcome barriers is ensuring that all clinicians and researchers understand that trust is the foundation of our work,” Miller said.
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