Led by globally recognizedLourdes Baezconde-Garbanati, PhD, MPH, the mission of the Office of Community Outreach and Engagement (COE) is to reduce the cancer burden in our catchment area of Los Angeles County through research, education, and outreach. COE accomplishes this mission via the following aims:

1. 1. 1. Defining assessing, and monitoring cancer-relevant needs of our catchment area.
      2. Fostering catchment-relevant research, education, and outreach.
      3. Enhancing enrollment of diverse, underrepresented community members in cancer-related clinical trials and other cancer research.
      4. Elevating the impact of USC Norris research through policy/advocacy for our catchment area.
      5. Extending our reach to support communities across California and the nation.

Our priorities focus on major cancer burdens and disparities in our catchment area (such as: breast, prostate, lung, colorectal, liver, acute lymphoblastic leukemia), and behavioral factors that alter risk for cancer (e.g. HPV vaccination, cervical cancer screening, diet, physical activity, tobacco, environmental pollutants). With significant input from our Community Advisory Board, COE serves as a bridge between our community and USC Norris scientists and drives catchment area-relevant research across the continuum from cancer prevention to development of novel diagnostics and therapies to cancer survivorship. COE also informs transdisciplinary and transformative scientific initiatives guided by the USC Norris Strategic Plan.