Kepka Group Current Grants & Support

Ongoing Research Support

Award number pending
Wetter (PI)
1/01/2020–12/31/2022
American Cancer Society
To Reduce Geographic Disparities in HPV Vaccination Rates for Adolescents Living in Rural States
The American Cancer Society North Region and Huntsman Cancer Institute are partnering to increase adolescent HPV vaccination rates in five Mountain West states. Leadership from the five state health agencies and professional associations will address barriers, create action plans, and disseminate strategies.
Role: Co-I

3P30CA042014-29S8
Ulrich/Kepka/Hashibe (PI)
5/01/2018–4/30/2021
NCI/NIH
Intermountain West Rural Cancer Control Research Capacity
The supplement aims to establish a rural Mountain West cancer prevention and control advisory board (R-CAB) to strengthen HCI’s partnerships with rural primary care clinics to adapt and expand evidence-based HPV vaccination intervention strategies and to develop a sustainability plan to address barriers to implementation of evidence-based HPV vaccination strategies experienced by rural primary care clinics.
Role: Co-Project Lead

Completed Research Support

1R03CA216174-01A1
Kepka/Kirchhoff (PI)
1/01/2018–12/31/2020
NCI/NIH
Statewide Assessment of HPV Vaccination among Childhood Cancer Survivors
This study will assess HPV vaccination receipt among cancer survivors following completion of cancer therapy with a unique epidemiological database and vaccine registry data. Receipt of HPV vaccination among childhood cancer survivors is a priority because they have a substantial risk of developing second cancers.
Role: Co-PI

University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Kepka (PI)
1/01/2018–05/31/2019
HPV Projects at UT Southwestern
To examine the associations between adolescent, parent, and geographical characteristics and concomitant HPV vaccine initiation and Tdap or meningococcal vaccination among Texas adolescents aged 13–17 years and to describe trends in concomitant vaccination categories over time by adolescent and zip code.

1R03CA202566-01
Kepka (PI)
1/01/2016–12/31/2018
NCI/NIH
Community-Level Geographic Factors and HPV Vaccination in the U.S.
This study aims to look at contextual factors that relate to patterns of HPV vaccination receipt in the United States among eligible girls and boys from 2008–2014 using the National Immunization Survey – Teen.

3P30CA042014-28S6
Beckerle/Kepka (PI)
5/01/2017–4/30/2018
NCI/NIH
Intermountain West HPV Vaccination Coalition
The coalition began as 130 members in two states (Utah and Idaho) and now has more than 450 members in 11 western states to identify barriers to vaccination, explore current research, and build regional partnerships.
Role: Project Lead