Pilot Research Project Four

Graduate training in cancer research and health disparities

Co-Principal Investigators:
Maxine Linial, Full Member, Basic Sciences - FHCRC and Steve Schwartz, Full Member, Public Health Sciences - FHCRC
Mary O'Connell, Professor, Plant and Environmental Sciences and Hugo Vilchis, Director, Border Epidemiology and Environmental Health Center - NMSU

Without appropriate role models, it is difficult to provide positive messages regarding the importance of cancer research, cancer prevention, and cancer treatment to underrepresented minorities. The rationale for this graduate student training program is based on the need to increase student and faculty interest at NMSU in cancer research, specifically among minority graduate students and faculty, and to increase the awareness of these issues at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (FHCRC).

The goal of this project is to enhance training in cancer research for graduate students at both New Mexico State University (NMSU) and the FHCRC [in association with the graduate school at the University of Washington (UW)]. This will be accomplished through three specific aims.

1. Aim 1: Lab based graduate students at NMSU will spend three quarters at the FHCRC doing research in a lab that will augment research skills related to their dissertation research, and if appropriate, take courses through the Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program at the University of Washington.
2. Aim 2: Epidemiology and Public Health graduate students at the FHCRC will enhance their education in cancer research through a new course in "Health and Health Services Disparities in Minority Populations." Students from this course may be selected to participate in a two-week practicum at The Border Epidemiology and Environmental Health Center (BEC) of NMSU, where they will be exposed to US-Mexico border health issues and ongoing research.
3. Aim 3: Minority MPH students from the Department of Health Sciences will have the opportunity to complete a research practicum with groups a faculty mentor at the FHCRC. Faculty at FHCRC will assist students in future career training, including aplying to the Ph.D. program at the UW/FHCRC.

A secondary goal of these aims is to attract underrepresented minority students to the programs at the FHCRC for graduate, postdoctoral, and faculty appointments.

For More Information:

Faculty and students interested in learning more about training opportunities for NMSU and FHCRC graduate students may contact Dr. Maxine Linial or Dr. Steve Schwartz at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

Inquiries for faculty at New Mexico State University may be directed to Dr. Mary O'Connell or Dr. Hugo Vilchis.