Francine Gachupin: A leader and mentor for Indigenous students, early-stage investigators

This remembrance was excerpted from the NACP November newsletter. Our thanks to NACP leaders for allowing us to post their work. 

Francine Gachupin, PhD, MPH, dedicated her life’s work to improving the lives of Native American communities, students, early-stage investigators and faculty. As a chronic disease epidemiologist, she addressed the critical need of advancing tribal health priorities to the forefront of health equity in Arizona and beyond. 

Gachupin, who was a University of Arizona professor in the College of Medicine – Tucson of family and community medicine, psychology, American Indian studies, public health and the graduate faculty, was a tribal member of the Pueblo of Jemez in New Mexico. She was one of the principal investigators of the Partnership for Native American Cancer Prevention, which is a 25-year mentorship program between the University of Arizona and Northern Arizona University. 

“She had such a calming presence, but she could also stand her ground when she knew something was not right,” said Regents Professor Jani Ingram, PhD, in analytical and environmental chemistry at NAU and co-principal investigator of NACP. “I admired her greatly, and I know she will be with me always.”

Gachupin had neuroendocrine carcinoma and passed away on September 23, but not before learning that the NACP grant had been renewed for another five years.

In its first 25 years, NACP’s collaborative work between the two universities has resulted in 367 Native American trainees and the mentorship of 237 students who earned 341 degrees during the program’s existence. They reached trainees from 45 tribal nations, including 12 of the 22 federally recognized tribes in Arizona and at least 33 other tribal nations beyond Arizona. 

In a conversation with the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities on Nov. 15, 2022, Gachupin said the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated ongoing difficulties for Native Americans such as lack of access to health care, transportation and basic utilities, such as running water.

“As Native people, we have known of these inequities throughout our lives, and that has inspired me to become a researcher in AI/AN health topic areas,” Gachupin said in the article. “As a Native woman, I feel a personal responsibility to do what I can to further understand and address the root causes of these health disparities and to design respectful research that benefits AI/AN communities.”

Gachupin earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and criminal justice from the University of New Mexico and earned a master’s in anthropology from the University of New Mexico. She completed a Master of Public Health in epidemiology from the University of Washington and a doctorate in anthropology from the University of New Mexico.

Remembering a champion for Native American Cancer Prevention

In a recent remembrance written by her fellow NACP family, the team honored Gachupin for her leadership with NACP and her years of service and dedication toward Native American health equity.

“Her perseverance will certainly be a guiding light for us in the next five years of NACP,” they said. 

Ingram said she feels blessed to have worked with Gachupin on NACP and co-mentoring Native American students. 

“Francine was very understanding, insightful, and passionate in all the many things she did,” Ingram said. “Very important to her was mentoring and promoting Native American scientists. She looked for many opportunities for younger Native American researchers to gain experiences and be successful in their careers. She also had these young scholars’ ‘backs’ when they ran into issues connected with institutions, other professors, or just the system in general.”

U of A Cancer Center member Melissa Herbst-Kralovetz, a professor in the Department of Basic Medical Sciences and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix, the director of the Women’s Health Research Program in Obstetrics and Gynecology and one of the multiple principal investigators of NACP, said Gachupin’s work was a testament to her commitment to creating meaningful change.

“I am deeply saddened by the loss of my colleague, whose unwavering passion and dedication to advancing Native American cancer health equity were truly inspiring,” Herbst-Kralovetz said. “In Gachupin’s memory, I am more determined than ever to carry on her mission, ensuring that her vision for a more equitable future is realized. I will honor her legacy by continuing to push for progress and making a sustained impact in the fight against cancer in Native communities."

Julie Armin, PhD, assistant professor of Practice, Health Promotion Sciences and director of the Health Disparities Curriculum at the College of Medicine –Tucson, saw Gachupin’s deep commitment to addressing health equity for Indigenous communities through her community-based health programming and productive research program. 

An article Gachupin authored with her family members that was published in the Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved titled “An American Indian Patient Experience” moved Armin when she read it. In the article, Gachupin selflessly describes her mother’s experience with ovarian cancer, with the goal of improving care for other American Indian cancer patients.

“The article emphasizes the importance of effective communication, physician advocacy, and care coordination in fostering trust with Indigenous communities,” Armin said. 

In the article, Gachupin described how she and her family used medical ethics and the principles of justice, autonomy, and beneficence to frame their mother’s treatment and end-of-life. They illuminated individual- and system-level ethical breaches that caused unnecessary suffering. 

“While it should not be expected that Indigenous scholars share their personal stories for the education of others, I want to thank her and her family for their generosity in sharing theirs,” Armin said. “To me, this generosity is a hallmark of how Francine lived her life and conducted her work.”

Margaret Briehl, PhD, former NACP co-principal investigator and U of A Cancer Center associate director for Cancer Research Education and Training Coordination, remembers Gachupin as a superb educator and advocate. 

“The IRB sessions that she taught inspired non-Native people to respect and learn from Native communities,” Briehl said. “She also led her team to develop a series of brochures to teach communities about cancer and to teach university teams about conducting research with Native communities. Dr. Gachupin made an impact that will go on for generations.”

Maria del Carmen Lluria-Prevatt, PhD, the NACP research  administrator, said that what Gachupin most impressed upon her was embodied in strength and dedication.

"She was steadfast in her commitment to improving American Indian health by doing the ‘boots on the ground’ work as a researcher in the field, building meaningful relationships with many tribal communities, and encouraging young students and early-stage investigators to engage in research that could improve health outcomes for Native Americans," said Lluria-Prevatt. "She has had a huge impact on how to respectfully and appropriately engage in research in Native communities and her passion for truly making a difference was contagious to all of us that work with her. As NACP embarks on the next five years based on a ‘two-eyed seeing” paradigm, Francine’s thoughtful engagement with Native communities will serve as a guiding light."

Honoring a mentor

Jennifer Erdrich, MD, MPH, a surgical oncologist and assistant professor with the U of A Division of General Surgery, is forever grateful for Gachupin's dedicated mentorship and her relentless advocacy. 

“Time and again, she built the audience, connections, and coaches I needed to launch my own research program,” Erdrich said. “It is astonishing how she gave so much personalized attention and promotion for so many students and faculty, on top of her own impressive and wide-reaching work.” 

Gachupin was assigned to Naomi Lee, PhD, associate professor in the NAU Department Chemistry and Biochemistry, as a mentor in the AISES Lighting the Pathways program while she was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of New Mexico. 

“She provided valuable insight into working with Indigenous communities and helped to review my faculty application documents,” Lee said. 

Unaware that her former mentor was part of NACP, Lee joined the NAU faculty and the program, and Gachupin was again instrumental in the young investigator’s career development, where they worked together on other publications. 

“I am forever grateful for her knowledge, wisdom, leadership, and kindness.” Lee said.

Jonathan Credo, a MD, PhD, Navajo, was mentored through NACP for 14 years and attended both NAU and the University of Arizona. He is in his post-graduate year in internal medicine and psychiatry residency at the University of California, Davis School of Medicine.

“I am reminded of Francine and her never-ending pursuit for justice, especially as it pertains to Native American communities and individuals,” Credo said. “Throughout her career, this passion and dedication never wavered. From listening to her start with Tribal Epidemiology Centers, to advocating for improved Native American representation and rights through her work on national Institutional Review Boards, through advocacy and support of individuals facing discriminatory and prejudice actions and policies that both targeted and stymied Native Americans.”

For more information on the NIMHD Q&A, read the feature on Gachupin on the NIMHD website. The mission of the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, one of the 27 Institutes and Centers of the National Institutes of Health, is to lead scientific research to improve minority health and eliminate health disparities.

The university will hold a Celebration of Life for Gachupin on Nov. 22, at the College of Medicine – Tucson, room 2500, Social Hall (old hospital cafeteria) from 2–4 p.m. 

Learn more on the registration page.