Darryl Somayaji, PhD, RN, CNS, CCRC
Clinical Professor; Unit Diversity Officer; Adjunct Assistant Professor of Oncology, Cancer Screening & Survivorship at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
ADDRESS:
School of Nursing
University at Buffalo
201C Wende Hall
Buffalo, NY 14214-3079
PHONE: 716-829-2178
EMAIL: darrylso@buffalo.edu
Access to necessary health programs and services continues to be the biggest challenge to reduce the burden of cancer and improve quality of life especially in underserved populations. Novel strategies, new programs, and interventions are essential to ensure health equity in a complex and evolving health care system.
Darryl Somayaji earned her BSN from Niagara University. She went on to earn an MSN from D'Youville College with a focus on community health and teaching, as well as her PhD in Nursing from the University of Utah. She also completed a postdoctoral research fellowship in cancer and health disparities from the Dana Farber/Harvard Cancer Center and the University of Massachusetts Boston.
Somayaji’s research focuses on identifying gaps in equitable health care and understanding barriers to critical cancer services including prevention, screening, treatment and supportive care. This lack of access to necessary health programs and services continues to be the biggest challenge to reduce burden of cancer and improving quality of life, especially in underserved populations. Somayaji is working to correct this challenge and to provide proper care to all and believes novel strategies, new programs and interventions are essential to ensure health equity in a complex and evolving health care system.
Before joining the SON, Somayaji completed a postdoctoral research fellowship in cancer and health disparities from the Dana Farber/Harvard Cancer Center and the University of Massachusetts Boston. In addition, Somayaji also served as an adjunct faculty research fellow at Harvard University and an adjunct assistant professor of oncology at Roswell Park Cancer Institute.
Currently, Somayaji is serving as a steering committee member for the 2018-2023 Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan, the third of its kind, within the New York State Cancer Consortium (NYSCC). The first priority for this committee is to emphasize the importance of cancer-related health equity.
- Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Cancer and Health Disparities, Dana Farber/Harvard Cancer Center/ University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA
- PhD, University of Utah School of Nursing, Salt Lake City, UT
- MSN, Community Health Nursing, Clinical Nurse Specialist, D’Youville College, Buffalo, NY
- BSN, Niagara University, Niagara Falls, NY
- RN Diploma Program, Gowanda Psychiatric Center School of Nursing, Gowanda, NY
- Cancer and health disparities
- Access to cancer care resources (e.g. prevention, screening, treatment and supportive
- Cancer survivorship
- Community-based research
- Data science and access to health services
- NCG 533 Teaching in Nursing
- NCG 692 Grantsmanship
- NUR 700 Advanced Theory Construction and Development
- NUS 702 Dissertation Seminar
- NUS 739 Philosophy of Science
Somayaji, D., Mohedat, H., & Li, C. (2024). Evaluating social determinants of health related to cancer survivorship and quality of care. Cancer Nursing. In press.
Mohedat, H., & Somayaji, D. (2023). Promoting sleep in hospitals: An integrative review of nurses' attitudes, knowledge and practices. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 79(8). https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.15694
Nye, C. M., Tengelin, E., & Somayaji, D. (2023). Developing a theory of norm-criticism in nursing education. Advances in Nursing Science, 46(2), E66-E79. https://doi.org/10.1097/ANS.0000000000000440
Nye, C. M., Canales, M. K., & Somayaji, D. (2022). Exposing othering in nursing education praxis. Nursing Inquiry, 30(3), e12539. https://doi.org/10.1111/nin.12539
Nye, C. M., Canales, M. K., & Somayaji, D. (2022). Exposing othering in nursing education praxis. Nursing Inquiry, e12539. Advance online publication.
Curtin, M., Somayaji, D., & Dickerson, S. S. (2022). Precision medicine testing and disparities in health care for individuals with non-small cell lung cancer: A narrative review. Oncology Nursing Forum, 49(3), 257–272. doi:10.1188/22.ONF.257-27
Somayaji, D., Mohedat, H., Dean, G. E., & Dickerson, S. S. (2022). Patients' perceptions at diagnosis: Lung cancer discovery and provider relationships. Cancer Nursing, 45(5), 397-405. doi:10.1097/NCC.0000000000001050
Somayaji, D., Seo, Y., Wilding, G., & Noyes, E. (2022). A multilevel approach to investigate relationships between healthcare resources and lung cancer. Nursing Research, 71(5), 360-369. doi:10.1097/NNR.0000000000000603
Nye, C., Tengelin, E., & Somayaji, D. (2022). Developing a theory of norm-criticsim in nursing education. Advances in Nursing Science. Advance online publication. doi:10.1097/ANS.0000000000000440
Jones, R., Hirschey, R., Campbell, G., Cooley, M. E., Lally, R., Somayaji, D., Rueter, E. K., & Gullatte, M. M. (2021). Update to 2020-2022 ONS research priorities: Rapid review to address structural racism and health inequities through oncology nursing research agenda. Oncology Nursing Forum. Advance online publication.
Jones, R. A., Hirschey, R., Campbell, G., Cooley, M. E., Somayaji, D., Lally, R., Rueter, E. K., & Gullatte, M. M. (2021). Update to 2019-2022 ONS research agenda: Rapid review to promote equity in oncology healthcare access and workforce development. Oncology Nursing Forum, 48(6), 604-612. doi:10.1188/21.ONF.604-612
Somayaji, D., Melendez, M., Kwon, M., & Lathan, C. (2021). Access to cancer care resources in a federally qualified health center: A mixed methods study to increase the understanding of met and unmet needs of cancer survivors. Journal of Cancer Education, 36(3), 591-602. doi:10.1007/s13187-019-01669-1
Somayaji, D., (2020). Acknowledge and End Unequal Representation in Cancer Research and Improve Access to Care. Oncology Nursing Society, Voice.
Somayaji, D., Melendez, M., Kwon, M., & Lathan, C. (2019). Access to cancer care resources in a federally qualified health center: A mixed methods study to increase the understanding of met and unmet needs of cancer survivors. Journal of Cancer Education, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-019-01669-1
Somayaji, D., Blok, A., Hayman, L., Colson, Y., Jaklisch, M., & Cooley, M. E. (2019). Enhancing behavioral change among lung cancer survivors participating in a lifestyle risk reduction intervention: A qualitative study. Supportive Care in Cancer, 27(4), 1299-1308.
Somayaji, D., & Bellury, L. (2019). Post-treatment and survivorship care. In M. M. Olsen, K. B., LeFebvre, & K. J. Brassil (Eds.), Chemotherapy and immunotherapy guidelines and recommendations for practice (pp.597-614). Pittsburgh, PA: Oncology Nursing Society.
Somayaji, D., Chang, Y. P., Casucci, S., Xue, Y., & Hewner, S. (2018). Exploring Medicaid claims data to understand predictors of healthcare utilization and mortality for Medicaid individuals with or without a diagnosis of lung cancer: A feasibility study. Translational Behavioral Medicine, 8(3), 400-408.
Blok, A. C., Blonquist, T. M., Nayak, M. M., Somayaji, D., Crouter, S. E., Hayman, L. L. ... & Cooley, M. E. (2017). Feasibility and acceptability of “healthy directions” a lifestyle intervention for adults with lung cancer. Psycho‐Oncology, 27(1), 250-257.
Sriphanlop, P., Crookes, D., DeMairo, K., Somayaji, D., Killack, M., McFarlane, A., LePere, J., & Jandorf, L. (2016). New York state health care provider participation in clinical trials: A brief report. Annals of Cancer Research. doi:10.7243/2049-7962-5-3
Crookes, D., Wang, C., Karen R. DeMairo, K., Killack, M., LePere, J., McFarlane, A., Somayaji, D. ... & Jandorf, L. (2015). Perceptions about participation in cancer clinical trials in New York state. The Journal of Community and Supportive Oncology, 13(2), 1-11.
Somayaji D, & Cloyes, K. G. (2015). Cancer fear and fatalism: How African American participants construct the role of research subject in relation to clinical cancer research. Cancer Nursing, 38(2), 133-44.
Naholi, R., Nosek, C. L., & Somayaji, D. (2015). Stress among new oncology nurses. Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing, 19(1), 115-117.
Somayaji D, & Cloyes, K. G. (2014). Uniting postcolonial, discourse, and linguistic theory to explore participation of African Americans in cancer research as an effect of social and historical race relationships. ANS Advancing Nursing Science, 37(1), 32-47.
- Mecca S. Cranley Award for Excellence in Teaching, University at Buffalo School of Nursing, 2023
- Dean's Award for Excellence in Research Scholarship, University at Buffalo School of Nursing, 2018
- Gregory J. Dimitriadis Research Mentoring Fellowship, Civic Engagement and Public Policy (CEPP), 2014-2015
- Patient Service Award, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Western and Central New York, 2010
- Nursing Doctorate Scholarship/ACS Fellow, American Cancer Society, 2009-2011
- Nursing Doctorate Scholarship/ACS Fellow, American Cancer Society 2007-2009
- Award for Excellence in Oncology Nursing, Western New York Chapter of Oncology Nursing Society, 2006
- Nurse of Distinction Award, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, 2005
- Member, International Conference on Cancer Nursing Planning Committee (Co-chair, 2023-current)
- Member, Oncology Nursing Society
- Member, Oncology Nursing Society Advanced Nursing Research Special Interest Group
- Member, Western New York Chapter of Oncology Nursing Society
- Member, International Society of Nurses in Cancer Care
- Member, American Nurses Association
- Member, Society of Behavioral Medicine
- Member, Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Honor Society, Gamma Chapter
- Member, Council for Advancement of Nursing Science
- Member, Eastern Nursing Research Society
- Member, New York State Cancer Consortium
- Member, New York State Cancer Consortium Steering Committee
- Member, New York State Cancer Consortium Communication Committee
Current
Increasing Lung Cancer Screening: An Urban Primary Care Health Center Approach
Term: 1/2024-12/2024
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding Source: University at Buffalo Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) Pilot Study award supported by NIH National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS)
Award Amount: $49,000
Southern U.S. Adult Cancer Survivor Perspectives: Evaluation of Barriers and Facilitators for Optimal Cancer Care Delivery
Term: 2021
Role: Primary Investigator
Funding Source: Patricia H. Garman Behavioral Health Nursing Endowment Fund
Award Amount: $10,000
Patient Voices Fights Center
Term: 2019-2020
Role: Co-investigator (PI: Laurene Tumiel-Berhalter)
Funding Source: Erie County Department of Health
Award Amount: $225,000
Abstract: This project fosters patient and provider conversations that will build awareness of cancer risks to activate screening. Community-based partners will develop and deploy an innovative outreach approach that will use “patients as teachers” in a modified version of the academic detailing model that we will refer to as “engagement detailing.”
Completed
You Cannot Change Your Family History, but You Can Change What You Do With It: A Peer-Based Education Program to Reduce Breast Cancer Risk in African American Women
Term: 2019-2022
Role: Co-Investigator (Co-PIs: Laurene Tumiel-Berhalter & Cherrise Walker-Betts)
Funding Source: New York State Department of Health
Award Amount: $250,000
Abstract: The goal of this study is to reduce morbidity and mortality from breast cancer among African American women by actively engaging family history as a tool to modify screening regimens and enhance communication between women and their providers.
Linking New York State Databases to Identify Risk Factors and Gaps in Care for Rural and Urban Health Disparities in Lung Cancer
Term: 2018-2019
Role: Principal Investigator (Multiple interdisciplinary co-investigators)
Funding Source: University at Buffalo CTSI
Award Amount: $50,000
Exploring Medicaid Calins-Data: Understanding the Role of Health Utilization in Low Income Lung Cancer Survivors
Term: 2017-2018
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding Source: Patricia H. Garman Behavioral Health Nursing Endowment Fund
Award Amount: $10,000
Civic Engagement and Public Policy (CEPP)
Term: 2015-2016
Role: Principal Investigator (Mentored Research Support)
Funding Source: Gregory J. Dimitriadis Research Mentoring Fellowship
Award Amount: $5,000
Exploring Cancer Survivorship in an Urban Community Health Center
Term: 2014-2015
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding Source: Dana Farber/Harvard Cancer Center
Award Amount: $20,000