Joint Pilot Project #2

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This type-2 application is to strengthen and build upon the established U54 Partnership between Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM), Tuskegee University (TU), and the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center (UABCCC). The Partnership, located in the heart of the Southeast, a region with a large, historically underserved, African American population, has the overall goal of attaining excellence in research focused on elimination of cancer health disparities and on reducing the cancer burden among underserved populations in the region. The partnering institutions possess unique strengths that complement each other in achieving the proposed goal through integrated research, education, and outreach. The primary objectives are to enhance productive cancer research programs, to develop a pipeline of racial/ethnic minority investigators in cancer research at MSM and TU, and to increase the level of involvement of investigators conducting research on cancer disparities at the UAB CCC. The Partnership has four Cores (Administrative, Outreach, Research Education, and Planning & Evaluation); two Full Research Projects; a Pilot Research Project; and two Shared Resources (Bioethics and Biostatistics/Bioinformatics). With these assets and activities, the Partnership will: 1) through the full projects, identify molecular mechanisms and new therapeutic targets for metastatic prostate cancer, which is present at a higher rate in African American men, and, through the pilot project, adapt the current, successful patient navigation program for racial/ethnic minority recruitment at the UAB CCC for implementation at the MSM and Grady Hospital; 2) through the Outreach Core, apply an innovative cancer survivor care plan at MSM, TU, and the UAB CCC by linking community- and health system-based patient navigators and advisors to improve satisfaction with care, and implement culturally appropriate community health education for cancer survivors and caregivers; 3) through the Research Education Core, employ an integrated cancer research education program that involves capacity building and linkages to undergraduate and graduate students and junior faculty, allowing them to pursue careers in cancer research; and 4) provide funding for additional Pilot Research projects. The Planning & Evaluation Core will continually assess/evaluate the outcomes of the cores, research projects, and shared resources. The Bioethics Shared Resource will promote and ensure adherence to bioethical principles and address ethical considerations in relationships between the institutions and between the institutions and communities. The Biostatistics/Bioinformatics Shared Resource will deliver statistical and bioinformatics support for all activities. Together, we will contribute to elimination of cancer health disparities.