Leslie Cooper, RN, BSN, MPH, PhD, Given Outstanding Achievement Award

Dr. Leslie Cooper, NCI/CRCHD Program Director for the Detroit–based CNP for Older, Underserved African-American Adults, was invited to serve as a Keynote Speaker at this year’s Healthier Black Elders Center Program at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History at Wayne State University. Dr. Cooper received an “Outstanding Achievement Award” from Wayne State University on June 5, 2007 for her work in the Detroit area.
http://crchd.cancer.gov/cnp/pi-albrecht-description.html

Cancer Health Disparities Summit 2007

"Catalyzing Trans-disciplinary Regional Partnerships to Eliminate Cancer Health Disparities"
July 16-18, 2007
Bethesda North Marriott Conference Center and Hotel
Bethesda, MD
Everyone planning to attend must register by June 30.
http://crchd.cancer.gov/news/summit-2007.html

CURE: Ten Years and Going Strong

NCI's Continuing Umbrella of Research Experiences (CURE) program celebrated 10 years of achievements in providing training and funding opportunities for underrepresented minority investigators in cancer research at the CRCHD May 7-8 professional development workshop.
http://www.cancer.gov/ncicancerbulletin

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National Advisory Council on Minority Health and Health Disparities Meeting

June 26, 2007
10:00 am - 5:00 pm EST
Any member of the public interested in presenting oral comments to the committee may notify Donna Brooks, Assistant Director for Administration of the National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities, at brooksd@ncmhd.nih.gov at least 10 days in advance of the meeting.
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net

NIH Speakers Present at 5th Annual Summer Workshop on Disparities in Health in America: Working Toward Social Justice

The workshop on June 23-29, 2007 at M.D. Anderson will focus on global disparities and their role in the health of America. NIH speakers include Vence L. Bonham, Jr., J.D., Senior Consultant on Health Disparities from the National Human Genome Research Institute and Adebola Odunlami, MPH, Social Science Project Coordinator of the Social and Behavioral Research Branch from the Division of Intramural Research of the National Human Genome Research Institute.
http://www.mdanderson.org

Federal Initiatives Aim to Get More Minorities in Clinical Trials

Federal officials announced on May 7, 2007 two initiatives aimed at eliminating health disparities among demographic groups by tackling one of the reasons: lack of minority participation in clinical trials.
http://www.chron.com (Account sign-up required to access article)

See Related Article

Asian Pacific American Heritage Month

May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. Asian Pacific Heritage Month was enacted by Public Law 102-450 on October 28, 1992. The purpose of the law was to honor the achievements of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans and to recognize their contributions to the United States.
http://hhsu.learning.hhs.gov/AsianPacific07/

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NCI Grantee Spotlights

Dr. Manuel Penichet, a Model Mentor

Dr. Manuel Penichet, one of CRCHD's outstanding K grantees, provides stellar mentorship for other young, up-and-coming underrepresented minorities in science. One of his mentees, Jose Rodriguez, an undergraduate student who works in his lab, was invited by Nature to write a column about his personal experience as a minority student. Jose's achievements (publications, awards, etc) under Dr. Penichet's mentorship are described in this article.
http://www.nature.com

Junior Wins Prestigious Science Award From Dr. Carlton Cooper's Lab

Junior Charles Drummer IV, under the mentorship of CRCHD K grantee Dr. Carlton Rodney Cooper, has won the United Negro College Fund (UNCF)-Merck Undergraduate Science Research Scholarship Award for 2007-08. The UNCF-Merck program is designed to increase the number of African-American scientists working in biomedical science education and research.
http://www.udel.edu

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Enhancing Practice

Meta-Analysis of Racial Disparities in Survival in Association with Socioeconomic Status Among Men and Women with Colon Cancer

(Cancer, June 1, 2007)
The objectives of the current study were to systematically review the existing literature and provide a more stable estimate of the measures of association between socioeconomic status and racial disparities in survival for colon cancer by undertaking a meta-analysis.

See Full Article

See Related Articles

• Social, Health Care Factors Make Colon Cancer Deadlier for Blacks
• Social, Economic and Health Care Inequalities Likely Cause of Higher Colorectal Cancer Death Rates Among Blacks, Study Finds

Hair Relaxers Not Associated with Breast Cancer Risk: Evidence from the Black Women's Health Study

(Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2007;16(5):1035–7)
Hair relaxers (straighteners) have been used by millions of African American women, often for many years. The results of this study suggest that hair relaxer use does not increase the incidence of breast cancer in African American women.

See Full Article

See Related Articles

• Hair Relaxers Not Seen Linked to Breast Cancer
• Does Hair Relaxer Cause Breast Cancer in Black Women?

Genome-Wide Association Study Identifies Novel Breast Cancer Susceptibility Loci

(Nature, May 27, 2007)
Breast cancer exhibits familial aggregation, consistent with variation in genetic susceptibility to the disease. Known susceptibility genes account for less than 25% of the familial risk of breast cancer, and the residual genetic variance is likely to be due to variants conferring more moderate risks.

See Full Article

See Related Article

• Common Genetic Variants Linked to Breast Cancer
• Breast Cancer Research Suggests Asian Lifestyle Good Prevention

Characteristics of Pediatric Chemotherapy Medication Errors in a National Error Reporting Database

(Cancer, May 25, 2007)
Little is known regarding chemotherapy medication errors in pediatrics despite studies suggesting high rates of overall pediatric medication errors. In this study, the authors examined patterns in pediatric chemotherapy errors.

See Full Article

See Related Article

Ten Largest Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities in the United States based on Healthy People 2010 Objectives

(American Journal of Epidemiology Advance Access published online on April 26, 2007)
Disparities are measured as the percent difference from the best group rate, with all indicators being expressed in terms of adverse events. The 10 largest health disparities for each of five US racial and ethnic groups are identified here.
http://aje.oxfordjournals.org

News of Disparity: Content Analysis of News Coverage of African American Healthcare Inequalities in the USA, 1994–2004

(Soc Sci Med. 2007 May 4)
National survey data reveal that while public awareness of healthcare inequalities in the USA has increased, the public have become less supportive of federal responsibility to address healthcare inequalities.

See Full Article

See Related Article

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Funding Opportunities

Minority-Based Community Clinical Oncology Program (U10) (RFA-CA-07-049)

The Division of Cancer Prevention (DCP), National Cancer Institute (NCI), announces the continuation of the established program known as “Minority-Based Community Clinical Oncology Program” (Minority-Based CCOP) through which practicing oncologists who serve large minority populations participate in the NCI-sponsored clinical trials.
Application Receipt Date(s): July 18, 2007
http://grants.nih.gov

Prostate Cancer Research Program (PCRP) Clinical Trial Award

The Department of Defense (DOD) Prostate Cancer Research Program (PCRP) Clinical Trial Award supports rapid execution of Phase I, Phase I/II, or Phase II clinical trials of novel interventions (e.g., drugs, biologics, and devices) with the potential to have a significant impact on prostate cancer prevention, detection, diagnosis, or treatment.
Pre-Application Submission Deadline (LOI): July 19, 2007
http://cdmrp.army.mil/funding/pcrp.htm

NCMHD Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) Initiative in Reducing and Eliminating Health Disparities: Intervention Research Phase (R24)

The ultimate goal of this FOA is to support disease intervention research in reducing and eliminating health disparities using community-based participatory research that is jointly conducted by health disparity communities and researchers.
Application Receipt Date(s): August 31, 2007
http://grants.nih.gov

Behavioral and Social Science Research on Understanding and Reducing Health Disparities (R01)

To encourage behavioral and social science research on the causes and solutions to health and disabilities disparities in the U. S. population.
Application Submission/Receipt Date(s): September 19, 2007, September 19, 2008, September 18, 2009
R01 - http://grants.nih.gov
R21 - http://grants.nih.gov

Centers for Research to Reduce Disparities in Oral Health (U54)

The purpose of this initiative is to support interventional research that will have a clinically meaningful impact on caries, oral and pharyngeal cancer, and/or periodontal disease, and that will influence clinical practice, health policy, community and/or individual action and ultimately eliminate disparities in vulnerable subgroups of the U.S. population.
Application Receipt Date(s): November 15, 2007
http://grants.nih.gov

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Training and Employment Opportunities

Job Vacancies for Health Scientist Administrators at CRCHD

If you are a talented, knowledgeable and motivated individual with experience in health sciences and want to play a significant role in a dynamic organization focused on reducing cancer health disparities, consider joining CRCHD. Three positions for Health Scientist Administrators will be opening in CRCHD beginning June 18, 2007. For more information, contact Alisa Jones at ncihrmcbapps@mail.nih.gov or visit http://www.usajobs.gov
Open Period: Monday, June 18, 2007 to Friday, July 20, 2007

Positions Open at the Center for Cancer Research, NCI

CRCHD is pleased to be partnering with the NCI's Center for Cancer Research (CCR) to increase the number of minorities holding tenure track positions within the NCI's intramural research communities. As part of this joint effort, we are passing along to you the following advertisements for several positions currently open in CCR. Please share this announcement with colleagues and others who may be interested in applying to join this exciting, highly competitive team of scientists in the fight against cancer.

• Chief, Pediatric Chief, Pediatric Oncology Branch
• Tenure Track Investigator (Breast Cancer), Medical Oncology Branch
• Staff Clinician (Thoracic), Medical Oncology Branch
• Tenure Track Investigator, Radiation Oncology Branch
• Staff Clinician, Radiation Oncology Branch

Research on Interventions that Promote Research Careers (R01) and (R21)

The purpose of this funding opportunity is to support research that will test assumptions regarding existing or potential interventions that are intended to increase the preparedness for careers in biomedical and behavioral research, with a particular interest in those interventions specifically designed to increase the number of underrepresented minority students entering careers in biomedical and behavioral research.
Application Submission/Receipt Date(s): October 22, 2007
http://grants.nih.gov

Summer Institute Program to Increase Diversity in Health-Related Research (SIPID) (R25) (RFA-HL-07-012)

This funding opportunity announcement (FOA) solicits grant applications from applicant organizations that propose to conduct summer institute programs to enable faculty and scientists from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups and faculty and scientists with disabilities to further develop their research skills and knowledge, enhancing their career development as faculty members or scientists.
Application Submission/Receipt Date(s): October 29, 2007
http://grants.nih.gov

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Disparities in Health in America: Working Towards Social Justice 5th Annual Summer Workshop

June 23-29, 2007
University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
R. Lee Clark Clinic Building
Houston, TX
http://www.mdanderson.org

13th Annual Summer Public Health Research Institute and Videoconference on Minority Health: Does Racism Make Us Sick

June 25, 2007
2:00 - 4:00 pm EDT
UNC-CH Sonja Haynes Stone Center for Black Culture and History
Satellite and Internet Broadcast
http://www.minority.unc.edu

“Dia de la Mujer Latina" 4th Health Fair

June 30, 2007
7:30 am - 1:00 pm
Healing Waters Family Center
Wheat Ridge, CO
http://www.lrpc.cudenver.edu/mujer.htm