Meet Dr. Ewan Cobran: Advancing Prostate Cancer Survivorship Through Community-Engaged Research

• If you had to explain your research in one sentence to a non-scientist, what would you say—and why should they care?

My research looks at how men with prostate cancer are treated in the real world, how we can make treatments fit each person better, and work as well as possible. I believe that better treatment decisions lead not just to longer lives, but better quality of life.

•  How do you work to build trust and make research feel respectful and relevant?

I try to meet people where they are, by listening first, using plain language instead of technically sophisticated communication, and being transparent about both the benefits and limitations of research. Working with community advisory board members as partners rather than participants helps ensure that the questions we ask, the outcomes we measure, and the way we communicate findings all reflect real community priorities, not just academic ones.

• You’ve worked with CABs across multiple regions. What impact do you see when community voices are meaningfully involved—not just during a study, but between projects too?

When community voices are consistently engaged, not just brought in for a single project, the impact is deeper and more sustained. Community advisory board members help shape research agendas, improve recruitment and retention, and ensure cultural and regional relevance. Between projects, that ongoing relationship builds trust, continuity, and accountability, so research evolves with the community rather than being done to the community.

• From your perspective, what are the biggest survivorship challenges for the population your research serves?

For many men with prostate cancer, especially older adults and those with advanced disease, survivorship challenges include managing long-term side effects of treatment, navigating complex treatment sequences.  Dealing with pain and maintaining quality of life. There are also variations in access to follow-up care, supportive services, and clear information to guide decision-making over time.

• What gaps in current research do you hope to help close over the next few years—especially around quality of life, follow-up care, or long-term support?

One major gap is understanding how treatments impact patients beyond clinical outcomes, especially quality of life, symptom burden, and functional independence over time. I also hope to improve how we study and support treatment decision-making across the disease trajectory, including transitions between therapies. More work is needed to ensure follow-up care is coordinated, equitable, and responsive to patient needs, particularly for communities facing barriers to care and those outside major academic centers.