Newswise — The Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center and the University of Massachusetts Boston have received a five-year, $4.3-million grant from the National Institutes of Health to develop a strategy to reduce health disparities in Boston neighborhoods through new research and training projects, U.S. Senator Edward M. Kennedy announced today.
The NIH award brings together UMass Boston's record of research and service to underserved populations and the collective research and clinical expertise of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, four of its fellow Harvard teaching hospitals, Harvard Medical School, and Harvard School of Public Health, Kennedy said.
"Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center and UMass Boston have formed a bold and visionary partnership that1s going to enable us to make great progress in addressing the critical problem of minority health disparities, attract new talent into the health care professions, and maintain Boston's position at the forefront of medical research," Senator Kennedy said. "I'm thrilled NIH has recognized the value of this collaboration, and congratulate the entire Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center and UMass Boston teams for a job well done."
The main objective of the five-year award, known as a U-56 grant, is to address health disparities in minority populations, and to improve research, training and outreach opportunities for students, nurses and scientists of color. Specifically, the NIH award will help:
"¢ Develop collaborative research programs that stimulate basic cancer research at UMass Boston and health disparities research at both the university and DF/HCC."¢ Increase and enhance cancer-focused training opportunities for minority students, post doctoral fellows and nursing PhD students."¢ Increase community outreach, cancer education, and the promotion of evidenced-based programs."¢ Develop shared mechanisms for minority faculty recruitment and career development.
"Significant strides have been made during the past century to reduce the burden of many diseases, including cancer, but the same cannot be said about the efforts to eliminate health disparities," said Edward J. Benz, Jr., M.D., director of the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center and president of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. "This is changing, however, as programs such as this partnership are focusing greater attention on cancer prevention, early detection, and equal care, regardless of social status or race."
The grant allows the partnership to compete for additional funding in the future. Scientific and administrative leadership of the partnership will be provided by UMass Boston Professor Rick Jensen, the Alton Brann Distinguished Professor of Physics, Biology, and Mathematics, and Professor Karen Emmons of Dana-Farber and the Harvard School of Public Health. They will coordinate a team of accomplished scientists, high-level administrators, and dedicated staff from both institutions.
"As a physician and someone who has spent much of his career in Boston's health care community, I know first-hand the critical need to resolve health disparities that affect Boston residents," UMass Boston Chancellor Michael F. Collins, M.D., said. "This project will squarely focus the attention of physicians, professors, researchers, and students on the goal of improving health care for every resident of the city."
The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute joined with Harvard Medical School, four of its affiliated hospitals, and Harvard School of Public Health to create the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center (DF/HCC). The center's more than 800 researchers are working to resolve questions about the cause of cancer, cancer prevention, and the effectiveness of potential therapies by creating opportunities and incentives for collaboration among basic, clinical, and population researchers.
UMass Boston prides itself on academic excellence, diversity, and its commitment to serving students and the greater Boston community. Through its seven colleges—Liberal Arts, Science and Mathematics, Management, Nursing and Health Sciences, Public and Community Service, the Graduate College of Education, and the McCormack Graduate School of Policy Studies—UMass Boston offers undergraduate and graduate study in more than 150 fields. More information about UMass Boston can be found at: http://www.umb.edu.
Publication-quality photos from the news conference announcing the grant are available.
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