Dr. Gunn graduated with an Honours Bachelor of Health Sciences and Masters of Arts from the University of Western Ontario. Dr. Gunn completed her PhD in Health Services Research in the Department of Health Policy and Management at the Boston University School of Public Health. She is currently a Research Assistant Professor in the Schools of Medicine and Public Health at Boston University. Her research is primarily conducted within the Women's Health Unit in the Section of General Internal Medicine.

Dr. Gunn is a health services researcher focused on risk communication, decision-making, and the utilization of evidence-based care. She has conducted an array of research on how patients and providers negotiate the experience of being at risk for cancer and its impact on the utilization of health services. She is particularly interested studying how literacy impacts health decision-making and behaviors. Dr. Gunn has extensive experience in qualitative research methods, surveys, and mixed methods approaches to studying risk and prevention behaviors.

Dr. Gunn has received funding from AcademyHealth through the New Investigator Small Grant Program to examine women’s perceptions of the Massachusetts breast density notification legislation and its influence on their intentions for future screening. This work led to her selection as a 2016 finalist for the Milton W. Hamolsky Award at the Society for General Internal Medicine Annual Meeting. She currently receives funding through the National Cancer Institute on a K07 career development award. This award will use community-engaged methods to develop and test a breast cancer screening decision aid in partnership with women with low health literacy.