1/2 Howard/Hopkins Intercenter Collaboration in HPV-Associated Cancer Studies

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 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This proposal aims to improve the translational and community-based HPV-associated cancer research, education, and training at Howard University through collaborative projects and an effective long-term partnership with Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center. Human papillomavirus (HPV) accounts for 5.2% of cancer cases worldwide. Several strains of HPV cause a variety of devastating reproductive and oropharyngeal cancers. In the United States, about 26,700 cases of HPV-associated cancers are diagnosed annually. African American women suffer from a significantly higher incidence rate of HPV-associated cervical, vaginal, and anal cancers compared to their Caucasian counterparts. Additionally, HPV-16 has been identified in approximately 20-30% of head and neck cancers and roughly 56% of oropharynx and oral cavity cancers. Howard University Medical Institutions have a historically Black student body, and its medical and dental facilities participate in direct service to minority populations. However, Howard University faces significant challenges in cancer research and health disparities efforts. Johns Hopkins is committed to providing mentorship and educational resources in cancer research to improve Howard's capacities. Howard is a leading minority-serving institution, while Johns Hopkins is a well-established NCI-designated Cancer Center. An educational effort that brings together Howard doctors and dentists who focus on minorities and Johns Hopkins researchers who study HPV-related cancers will help to address socioeconomic disparities and barriers to cancer health, health education, and health-related professions. Through a set of collaborative pilot projects that include HPV vaccine development in mice models, epidemiology research in a Washington D.C. community cohort, and an extensive mentoring network between the two universities, this collaboration will significantly enhance career development, education, and competitiveness in seeking funding opportunities for Howard students and educators. Specific aims will be: 1) to support collaborative cancer research projects between the Howard University Medical Institutions and the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins; 2) to provide collaborative training and mentoring programs for promoting Howard medical and dental students and faculty in cancer research, 3) to establish education programs that advance the knowledge of cancer research as it applies to etiology, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of HPV-associated cancer in the context of minority-serving institutions.