Overall Objectives and ADM

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This is an application for the 2nd competitive renewal ofthe Partnership for Excellence in Cancer Research (Partnership) between the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC), two institutions which share a singular vision to eradicate cancer health disparities in underserved communities and socio-economically disadvantaged populations in Puerto Rico, Houston, and Latin America in general. This application represents a true partnership in which both institutions profit from distinct expertise and mutual benefits in the creation and implementation of fully integrated team science, outreach, training, career development, and education initiatives. As a continuation of the National Cancer Institute's (NCI) noteworthy commitment and investment to elevate the University of Puerto Rico Comprehensive Cancer Center (UPRCCC)* to a competitive level on par with other national cancer programs, this application outlines steps to: 1) solidify, strengthen and expand the relationship between UPR and MDACC and 2) transition the UPRCCC into an independently-functioning and self-sustaining institution. Without this long-standing, synergistic partnership as a catalyst for change, some of the objectives met thus far would have taken years to accomplish: other objectives would not have even been possible. Key elements of this application to advance the Partnership include: ¿ An evidence-based logic model approach (Section C) for tracking and evaluating Partnership outcomes; ¿ Multidisciplinary collaborative research projects (Section D) that represent stages of the translational research continuum (Tl to T3) according to NCI's Translational Research Working Group; ¿ A comprehensive cancer-focused training and career development core (Section E) to attract, engage and retain trainees and junior faculty as part of a training pipeline for future faculty positions with the UPRCCC; ¿ The development of a new educational curriculum, Core Curriculum in Cancer Medicine, Science, and Health Disparities, (Section E.2) to enhance the knowledge, skills and cultural competencies of current and future clinicians, scientists and physician-scientists; ¿ Outreach efforts (Section F) to build community capacity for the implementation and sustainability of cancer control programs; and ¿ A Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Bioinformatics Core (Section G), which augments and improves upon existing infrastructure developed during the last renewal. To facilitate the UPRCCC's transition towards independence, UPR and UPRCCC Pis took on a leadership role in developing the specific aims with the full support of the MDACC Pis. Over the next five years, both institutions recognize that while the Partnership will remain a joint effort, it will become imperative for the UPR and UPRCCC Pis to give impetus to developing, advancing, and advocating the UPRCCC's cancer-focused missions in research, training, education, and outreach. Therefore, with the goals ofthe U54 PAR in mind, a critical outcome to measure the success of this Partnership at the end of this renewal is whether or not the UPRCCC is sufficiently prepared and positioned to become a frontrunner in addressing the unequal burden of cancer that effects Hispanic populations across the cancer continuum (prevention, early detection, diagnosis, treatment and survivorship).