Advancing Clinical Sexual Health with Dr. Chiara Acquati
Dr. Chiara Acquati is an associate professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health at the University of Minnesota Medical School and the inaugural Beatrice E. Robinson Endowed Chair in Clinical Sexual Health within the Eli Coleman Institute for Sexual and Gender Health (ISGH). Since assuming the role in September 2025, she has been leading efforts to advance clinical sexual health as a core component of comprehensive, person-centered care.
Can you tell us about your current research?
My research focuses on clinical sexual health, relational well-being, and psychosocial outcomes in the context of cancer survivorship and other chronic illnesses. I examine how close relationships, caregiving dynamics, and dyadic coping processes influence mental health, sexual well-being, and quality of life for people living with cancer as well as their partners and caregivers.
In conversations with colleagues outside the field, I often describe my work as grounded in psychosocial oncology and supportive care and then translate it more simply: I study how cancer impacts relationships, especially sexual health, emotional well-being and fertility and how patients and their partners navigate these challenges together during and after treatment. These are experiences that resonate with many, and which we can all connect with.
You are the first person to hold this endowed chair position. What are you planning to accomplish in this role?
In stepping into this role, it was important for me to understand both the process and the vision behind the creation of the chair, including the extensive behind-the-scenes work that led to ensuring funding and building broad institutional support. I have regularly engaged with the institute and department leadership to align priorities and strategically position this role to contribute meaningfully within a rapidly evolving academic and healthcare landscape.
As the inaugural endowed chair, my goal is to establish clinical sexual health as a core component of comprehensive care, to expand the Eli Coleman Institute for Sexual and Gender Health’s leadership in clinical outcomes research and intervention science, and to develop sustainable training pathways for clinicians and learners. Ultimately, I aim to build an enduring infrastructure that advances collaborative, person-centered models of care, extending well beyond my tenure.
At the same time, serving in this role brings a responsibility to innovate and shape a forward-looking vision. My focus is on building upon the strong foundation at ISGH while expanding efforts in evaluation, intervention development, implementation and the advancement of models of care that can be studied, replicated and adopted by other centers and institutions.
When you first started meeting with Eli Coleman, PhD, and Beatrice Robinson, PhD, did you feel like you were building on an existing foundation, or were you starting to shape something new together?
Both of these perspectives feel true to me. There is a clear and intentional foundation that has been built: the way the institute is organized, the values that guide it and the integration of research, clinical care, education and advocacy. All these elements align naturally with the vision of an endowed chair in clinical sexual health. It was very important for me to understand not only the structure, but also the process that led to the creation of this position; the needs, gaps and barriers that made this commitment necessary. To me, the chair serves two essential functions: It establishes clinical sexual health as a clear institutional priority, and it protects this work. The endowment is critical in that regard, as it safeguards time and resources needed to sustain and grow this effort; something that remains rare and, to my knowledge, unique at the national level.
I want to honor the process and vision that made this position possible, while also bringing a creative component and forward-looking perspective. Building on what has already been established, my goal is to expand our work in clinical outcomes research, intervention development, and implementation. I see real potential to develop a model that other clinicians and investigators can study, adapt, and learn from, positioning ISGH as a leader in how we evaluate, integrate, and deliver clinical sexual healthcare. Equally important is ensuring that this work is sustainable and scalable. This includes strengthening training opportunities for providers, documenting both the benefits and the demands of this work, and building the evidence base needed to support broader adoption across settings.
Minnesota, to me, offers a particularly meaningful context for this work. The communities here are deeply engaged, thoughtful, and attentive to how healthcare decisions affect everyday life. That level of awareness creates strong opportunities to advance person-centered care and to think intentionally about how these models can extend beyond urban settings, especially into rural and primary care contexts, where integration remains a key priority.
What initially drew you to primary care, and how has your work in this area progressed over time?
I was drawn to primary care because of its emphasis on relational continuity and whole-person care. Primary care is often the setting where people feel most comfortable raising their concerns, creating a unique opportunity to integrate prevention, mental health, sexual health and relationship-centered care over time. As someone new to working within a medical school, I have also been paying close attention to how primary care is evolving, especially the growing focus on integrated models of care, population health, social drivers of health and access among rural and underserved communities. These shifts create important opportunities to extend the reach and impact of this work in meaningful and scalable ways.
My research has progressed from identifying unmet psychosocial and sexual health needs to developing methodologically rigorous, clinically actionable interventions. Increasingly, my focus has been on translating evidence into routine care, ensuring that what we learn can be implemented in ways that improve real-world outcomes.
Findings from my program of research demonstrate that the way people living with cancer and their partners experience the illness is deeply interdependent, and we highlighted coordinated coping behaviors and communication as key drivers of both individual and relational well-being. This work has also advanced our understanding of sexual and reproductive health in adolescent and young adult (AYA) and early-onset cancers, where these dynamics are particularly salient yet often unaddressed.
More broadly, I am interested in how clinical outcomes research, intervention development, implementation and program evaluation can meaningfully fit together in systems of care. Equally important is how we communicate and share this work, so that clinicians, clients and communities can understand not only what we do, but why it matters and how it translates into better care.
Are there any emerging scientific advances or educational approaches that you find especially promising?
I am particularly encouraged by advances in integrative, trauma-informed and dyadic models of care, where partners and family caregivers are intentionally included. E-health and mobile technologies are also critical components in the current landscape, allowing us to rigorously test interventions and offer in-between-session monitoring while ensuring our programs are accessible. Interdisciplinary collaboration will be key to advancing this work and positioning ISGH as a national leader in outcome research and intervention development. I am equally encouraged by approaches that center stakeholder engagement, actively involving people living with health conditions, sexual health needs, partners, advocacy groups and communities in shaping priorities and informing how care is delivered. This level of engagement is essential to building models that are not only responsive but also sustainable and transferable across settings.
A central pillar of my vision is education and workforce development. I see a significant opportunity to strengthen the workforce by equipping providers with the skills needed to address sexual health through biopsychosocial and culturally responsive frameworks. This includes developing provider toolkits, micro-credentialing opportunities and brief, high-impact modules that are directly applicable in practice. More broadly, I view this as an opportunity to help shape how we train the next generation of clinicians, moving toward educational models that are accessible, actionable and practice-oriented.
What do you hope to achieve in the next few years through your research or clinical work?
In the next few years, I aim to advance clinical sexual health as a standard component of comprehensive care. This includes expanding ISGH’s leadership in clinical outcomes research and intervention science, while building sustainable training for clinicians and learners. My goal is to develop interventions that can be integrated across both primary care and specialty settings, and that meaningfully improve care for individuals, dyads and families affected by cancer and other chronic illnesses.
For instance, earlier this year, a delegation of six faculty and clinical providers from ISGH attended the 27th World Meeting on Sexual Medicine in Portugal through the World Association for Sexual Health. That opportunity allowed us not only to disseminate our work on an international stage but also to actively engage with emerging models of care and innovation. We are intentionally leveraging those insights to strengthen the quality of care we provide locally and to identify opportunities to expand our research and clinical programming in ways that are responsive to where the field is moving.
What are the biggest challenges you currently encounter in this position?
Working within systems and institutions means understanding context, navigating the forces that shape it, being aware of the influence they may have on our work and identifying strategies to continue advancing meaningful efforts.
A central leadership challenge is holding the work at the forefront. This includes articulating a clear, compelling message that keeps the mission visible and relevant, even in complex or shifting environments. At the same time, we must acknowledge that what happens around us can cause significant distress, both among providers and the populations we serve. Effective leadership in this space requires balance. It also requires the ability to communicate in ways that are unifying: messages that people and teams can connect with, understand and carry forward collectively.
In recent years, we as scientists have been challenged to rethink how we communicate our work, moving beyond technical language toward clarity, impact and relevance. My research focuses on how cancer affects relationships and how couples and families navigate these challenges. We can understand it because we have all been ill. All of us have someone we love and care about. We all experience loss. These are not distant or abstract experiences; they are deeply human ones. Illness, caregiving, love, intimacy and loss are universal, and they create a shared point of understanding. Part of my role and my commitment is to continue exploring how we communicate and disseminate this work in ways that are accessible and meaningful.
What do you love about working and living in Minnesota?
Minnesota embodies a set of values that align closely with my own: collaboration, innovation and public service, particularly in healthcare and education. I am especially drawn to the University of Minnesota’s strong commitment to interdisciplinary work and community engagement, as well as the balance it offers between urban life and access to nature.
I have also found Minnesota communities to be very attentive and engaged. There is a clear awareness of how healthcare decisions shape everyday life and a willingness to engage in those conversations. That kind of civic engagement and community perspective is essential; they create the conditions for care that is not only evidence-based but also responsive, inclusive and truly person-centered.
For people outside the research or medical communities, why does this work matter?
Sexual health and intimacy are central to well-being, relationships and identity, yet they are often overlooked in healthcare. Across both my research and clinical work, clients and couples consistently describe sexual health as one of the most pervasive and persistent unmet needs in cancer care. These are deeply personal experiences of loss related to identity, connection, embodiment and how partners attempt to cope together.
This work matters because it advances care that reflects how people actually live and experience illness. It supports not only physical health, but also mental and relational well-being. When sexual health is meaningfully addressed, individuals feel seen, supported and better equipped to navigate the complexities of cancer and survivorship.
Equally important is how we communicate this work. When we describe it clearly, focusing on relationships, loss and connection, people immediately understand its relevance. It becomes evident that this is not a niche issue, but a fundamental component of comprehensive, person-centered care.
Learn more about sexual and gender health research: Eli Coleman Institute of Sexual and Gender Health.
