The overall objective of the MSM/TU/UAB CCC Partnership is to reduce and eliminate cancer health disparities. This is being achieved through our programs of Cancer Research, Cancer Training, Cancer Education, Cancer Outreach, Bioethics, and Biostatistics, which are leading to sustained, integrated, organizational changes at the three Institutions. Significant milestones have been reached. At MSM, a Cancer Research Program (CRP) was established In 2007 by developing an organizational framework for the previously disconnected cancer research scientists and teams. The program consists of four sections, Basic Science Research, Community and Epidemiological Research, Clinical Trials Exploratory, and Research Training and Career Development. Thirty faculty members from diverse scientific disciplines are associated with the CRP. In parallel, TU has demonstrated increased capacity to conduct research on cancerhealth disparities by training and garnering a critical mass of scientists who focus on reducing and eliminating these disparities. In 2005, 7 scientists at TU were involved in some aspect of cancer research, compared to 17 in 2010. With the central teaching mission of Tuskegee, the training of 9 undergraduates and 22 graduate students in cancer research since 2005 demonstrates TU's ability to establish a pipeline of prospective minority investigators who are focusing on cancer research. This growth in health disparity research and education led to the creation, in December 2010, of the Health Disparities Institute for Research and Education (HDIRE) at TU. Dr. Roberta Troy, Co-PI on the U54 Partnership, was appointed as its founding director. The HDIRE has as its mission the elimination and/or mitigation of health disparities through research, education, and training, and through advocacy of policies relevant to underserved populations, particularly in the Black Belt region of Alabama. The UAB CCC has similarly expanded its capacity to conduct cancer health disparities research. In the past 5 years, UAB has recruited 6 new faculty members involved in such research. Each of the institutions has had increases in cancer research funding, indicating scientific productivity. At MSM, S8M was secured in 2000 to support cancer research. By 2005, cancer research funding increased to $18M, and, by 2010, to $26M. Similarly, cancer research funding increased at TU, exceeding $6M in 2010. At the UAB CCC, there was an increase in annual funding from $12M in 2005 to $22M by 2010 in its Cancer Control and Population Sciences Program. This increase was mostly related to research on cancer disparities. While the evaluation of each of the cores and programs is detailed in the respective sections, it is appropriate to highlight some of the achievements. The Developmental Research Proaram continues to be strengthened and to produce competitive and productive investigators. Since its inception, 10 pilot projects and 1 full project have been awarded, and all but one pilot have been or are being successfully conducted. As of December 2010, 17 peer-reviewed publications directly related to the goals of U54 have been generated, a remarkable increase from 1 publication in 2008. Additionally, investigators of this Partnership have published 75 peer-reviewed manuscripts that are directly related to cancer disparities (see Appendix A-C). Over the past 5 years, the Cancer Training Program has trained 81 scholars (28 junior faculty and 53 graduate students) to perform cancer-related research. While 61% of the scholars have extramural funding, 21% have secured additional extramural funding since completing the program.), and 43% of them have published manuscripts. The Cancer Education Program, which is essential for ensuring a pipeline of well-trained students who elect to pursue research in cancer health disparities and related professions, has developed a cancer-related course (Foundations of Cancer Biology) that has been incorporated and sustained as part of the TU curriculum. Recently, Cancer Education Co-Leaders and Bioethics Shared Resource members of the Partnership have developed and offered a Health Disparities, Bioethics, and Policy course at TU. The Cancer Outreach Programs, based on the community health advisor model, have achieved their medium-term outcomes. Through a relationship with the Department of Public Health, the MSM program disseminated an intervention for colon cancer screening in the greater Atlanta area. UAB's Cancer Outreach Program increased participation of African Americans in cancer therapeutic trials, with 180 referrals to the program and 124 cancer survivors enrolling in their IMPACT program. At TU, outreach efforts led to a program addressing healthy lifestyles among rural residents, with participants increasing physical activity and making improved dietary choices. Bioethics activities continue to be highly rated within the Partnership and by other collaborators. As essential resources, Biostatistics and Bioethics are integrated throughout the Partnership. In summary, consistent with the outcomes outlined in our Evaluation Framework developed for the previous application, our tripartite Partnership has achieved short and medium-term outcomes and is now realizing long-term outcomes, including integrated, organizational changes at each of the institutions. These will lead to high-quality research on cancer health disparities, produce well-trained investigators, and reduce cancer disparities.
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