American Cancer Society

American Cancer Society and four Historically Black Colleges and Universities Announce Groundbreaking Diversity in Cancer Research Program to Improve Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Unique Program Will Create A More Inclusive Cancer Research Environment, Help Address Health Disparities

ACS

Atlanta-September 22, 2021  -   The American Cancer Society (ACS), along with four historically black medical schools including Charles Drew Medical School, Howard University, Meharry Medical College and Morehouse School of Medicine, today announced a groundbreaking Diversity in Cancer Research (DICR) Program to help improved diversity, equity and inclusion in the cancer research field.   The inaugural initiatives of the overarching program include DICR Institutional Development Grants.  The four HBCU’s have received DICR grants in a pilot program for 2021-2022.

The awards provided through the DICR program are unique in cancer research.  They provide a large amount of salary support for the four colleges to select clinical faculty who need more dedicated time for their cancer research and scholarly activities.  They also fund other student and postdoctoral program and underpin the awards with career development funds and mentorship by established American Cancer Society Professors.  The grants will build sustainability for both clinical and scientific cancer-focused careers, launching or sustaining the careers of 104 individuals by 2025.

The impactful program will create a more inclusive research environment to address health disparities more effectively and could lead to targeted recruitment efforts focused on bringing people of color into clinical research protocols. Establishing a research community that is made up of a diverse group of people is vital to ensuring scientific excellence.

American Cancer Society Awardees

  • Undergraduate Training Awardees
    Jasmine Harrison Justine Savizon Christina Hughes
    Jasmine Harrison
    Georgia College & State University Student    		 Justine Savizon
    Georgia College & State University, Student    		 Christina Hughes
    Georgia College & State University Student
  • Pilot Grant Awardees
    Robina Josiah Willock, PhD, MPH Desiree Rivers, PhD, MSPH Shaneeta Johnson, MD Sasha Corbin, MD
    Robina Josiah Willock, PhD, MPH
    Community Heath & Preventative Medicine    		 Desiree Rivers, PhD, MSPH
    Community Heath & Preventative Medicine

    		 Shaneeta Johnson, MD, MBA, FACS
    Department of Surgery

    		 Sasha Corbin, MD
    Department of Surgery
  • Research Scholars Awardees
    Rajesh Singh, PhD Desiree Rivers, PhD, MSPH
    Rajesh Singh, PhD
    Microbiology, Biochemistry & Immunology    		 Desiree Rivers, PhD, MSPH
    Community Heath & Preventative Medicine
  • Post-Doctoral Fellow Awardees
    Amirah Burton, PhD Victoria Churchill, PhD, MPH

    Amirah Burton, PhD
    Post-Doctoral Fellow

    Victoria Churchill, PhD, MPH
    Community Heath & Preventative Medicine

American Cancer Society Subaward Requirements

Subaward Grant Mechanisms

Requirements

Undergraduate Training Program

The ACS DICR Training Center recruits young adults who are part of populations that have been established as underrepresented in the health-related science workforce in the United States.

Pilot Grants

Applicants must be full-time faculty within the first 6-years of initial appointment who have not yet obtained R-level funding.

Clinician Scientist Development Grants

Applicants must be early career clinical scientists (Instructor or Assistant Professor) within the initial 6 years of a faculty appointment with a clinical license and has a role in clinical care.

Post-doctoral Fellows

Researchers who are US citizens or permanent residents and within three years of receiving a doctoral degree.

Masters Scholars

Students must be enrolled in a master program with an interest in Cancer Control and Prevention or cancer research. 

Award Amount and Term

Subaward Grant Mechanisms

Requirements

Undergraduate Training Program (Summer Program)

$500 per week for 1 year = $5000

Pilot Grants (16)

$30,000; 4 grant/years x 4 years = $ 480,000

Clinician Scientist Development Grants (2)

$600,000 x 2 clinicians over 4 years = $1,200,000

Post-Doctoral Fellowships (2)

$175,500 x 2 post-docs over 3 years = $351,000

Masters Scholars (6)

$25,000/year x 2 MS x 2 years; 3 MS cohorts: $300,000

Summary of Research Subawards

Master Scholars

Nolan Stubbs

Nolan Stubbs, Medical Student
Morehouse School of Medicine
Research: Glioblastoma (brain cancer) cell lines and different therapeutics to uncover different treatment paradigms

Gabrielle Ford, Master of Public Health, Student

Gabrielle Ford, Master of Public Health, Student
Morehouse School of Medicine
Research: Evaluating the Efficacy of Stress and Anxiety Interventions Associated with the Reduced Risk of Breast and Endometrial Cancer Recurrence in African American Women

Zakira Abdul-Hameed, Master of Public Health, Student

Zakira Abdul-Hameed, Master of Public Health, Student
Morehouse School of Medicine
Research: The role of culture in cancer nutritional information for Black women

Undergraduate Training Program

Brittany Jones, Student
Georgia College & State University
Research: Prostate Cancer

Christina Hughes, Student
Georgia College & State University
Research: Prostate Cancer Among African American Men

Justine Savizon, Student
Georgia College & State University
Research: Factors Influencing Health Outcomes in African American Women

Jasmine Harrison, Student
Georgia College & State University
Research: Racial and Geographic Disparities in Past Treatment Complication among Black Breast Cancer Survivors

Pilot Grants

Shaneeta M. Johnson, MD, MBA, FACS
Sasha Corbin, MD
Department of Surgery/Morehouse School of Medicine

Pilot Grant: Disparities In Colon Cancer Amongst African Descendants: A Retrospective Observational Pilot Study comparing African Americans and Afro-Caribbean Persons

Desiree A. Rivers, PhD, MSPH
Robina Josiah Willock, PhD, MPH
Department of Community Health and Preventive Medicine/Morehouse School of Medicine

Pilot Grant: Bridges to Cancer Health Equity Navigator Training

Desiree A. Rivers, PhD, MSPH
Associate Professor
Community Health and Preventive Medicine
Research Scholars Grant: Using a plant-based diet and exercise to improve outcome in AA postmenopausal breast and endometrial cancer survivors.

Rajesh Singh, PhD
Associate Professor
Microbiology, Biochemistry & Immunology
Research Scholars Grant: Social and molecular determinants of liver cancer disparities

Clinician Scientist Development Grants

Regina Leonis, MD
Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology/Morehouse School of Medicine

Clinician Scientist Development Grant: Molecular Classification of Endometrial Cancer and Clinical Outcomes in African American women  (under review)

Post-Doctoral Fellows

Victoria Churchill, PhD
Post Doctoral Fellow: Health Communication
Georgia State University
Post-Doctoral Candidate: Tobacco Research/Health Communication (In progress)