# Chicago EYES (Educators and Youth Enjoy Science) on Cancer

> **NIH NIH R25** · UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO · 2021 · $364,207

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
Chicago’s South Side is one of the nation’s most medically underserved urban areas, facing significant
disparities in the incidence and mortality of cancer. Eliminating or reducing cancer disparities in this community
requires the commitment of a health care and biomedical research workforce that reflects the make-up of the
local community and understands its underlying challenges. The University of Chicago Medicine
Comprehensive Cancer Center (UCCCC), considered a national leader among cancer centers in supporting
the training and career development of next-generation cancer researchers, will serve as the epicenter of the
proposed training program, Chicago EYES (Educators and Youth Enjoy Science) on Cancer. The overall
objective of the program is to train high school students, undergraduates, and high school teachers through
research experiences and outreach, thereby enhancing the diversity of the workforce necessary to meet the
nation’s biomedical, population-based and clinical cancer research needs. To accomplish this goal, we will:
1) Provide mentored research experiences and career/skills development to individuals from underrepresented
backgrounds at the high school and undergraduate level to inspire and prepare them for research careers in
cancer and/or cancer disparities; 2) Provide high school teachers of underrepresented students with research
experiences and curriculum development to prepare them to disseminate knowledge and generate excitement
for science; and 3) Create a strong and long-lasting network of support for students throughout their career
journeys. In addition to assembling a dedicated mentor team for each individual, providing hands-on research
training and curriculum development for their teachers, and engaging families and communities for support, we
will also develop a detailed tracking system to facilitate ongoing communication with program alumni and
personalized assistance as needed. The experienced leadership team has the scientific, educational, and
administrative expertise, coupled with an established track record of developing and evaluating cancer
research pipeline programs, necessary to successfully deliver the proposed program. Importantly, the program
will facilitate strong partnerships with key institutions on Chicago’s South Side, namely the Museum of Science
and Industry and diverse local high schools and institutions of higher learning. Together, the leadership team,
outstanding mentors, and committed partners are well positioned to successfully develop the program,
evaluate success and support the proposed activities to create and sustain a diverse cancer research
workforce. Through Chicago EYES on Cancer, the UCCCC is committed to positively impacting the scientific
career development of South Side Chicago youth as well as the education and engagement of the local
community.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10001463
- **Project number:** 5R25CA221767-04
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
- **Principal Investigator:** Mary Eileen Dolan
- **Activity code:** R25 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $364,207
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-09-22 → 2023-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10001463

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10001463, Chicago EYES (Educators and Youth Enjoy Science) on Cancer (5R25CA221767-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10001463. Licensed CC0.

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