# Cancer Research Education Program

> **NIH NIH P20** · LSU HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER · 2020 · $79,122

## Abstract

Abstract - CREP 
The Southeast Partnership for Improving Research and Training in Cancer Health Disparities (SPIRIT-CHD), a 
partnership between Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center (LSUHSC) and Moffitt Cancer Center 
(MCC), presents a unique opportunity for joint efforts to advance biospecimen-based research in cancer health 
disparities. There is an unmet need for cancer researchers who are culturally competent with unique expertise 
to conduct health disparities research. The Cancer Research Education Program is an integral component of 
the SPIRIT-CHD and is designed to meet this need. The CREP will be a joint, collaborative, innovative 
program with three primary aims: Research Experiences, Curriculum, and Outreach. 1. (Research 
Experiences): to provide undergraduate and medical students with hands on summer research experiences 
that address biobanking, precision medicine and cancer health disparities. We will build upon and expand an 
infrastructure between the LSUHSC and MCC for biobanking, precision medicine and cancer health disparities 
research training for undergraduate and medical students with emphasis on underrepresented minority (URM) 
students. Over the funding period, we expect to train a total of 44 trainees. 2. (Curriculum): to provide 
students with formal training in cancer research, focusing on biobanking, precision medicine and cancer health 
disparities. All students (LSUHSC and MCC) will share the same overall curriculum: a) a series of web-based 
modules, b) experiences in cancer health disparities research, biobanking, precision medicine and biomedical 
ethics, and c) didactic learning activities. 3. (Outreach): to expand existing 
community-based participatory 
research (CBPR) by engaging summer interns in outreach education activities to minority communities about 
biobanking, precision medicine and cancer health disparities. Specifically, this infrastructure will provide 
students with opportunity for immersion experiences and for skill development in communicating about 
biobanking, precision medicine, and cancer health disparities research to lay audiences. We have incorporated 
formative (process) and summative (impact/outcome) evaluation metrics into each of the activities associated 
with the three aims. These processes will help to monitor and gauge success as well as pinpoint areas for 
improvement and refinement. The CREP will help to create the next generation of clinical and research 
scientists who are prepared to address the challenges of cancer health disparities research in relation to 
precision medicine and participation in biobanking. We also expect this educational program to generate 
preliminary data that will lead to competitive grant applications for extramural peer-reviewed funding by 
NIH/NCI (e.g., R25e).

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10005328
- **Project number:** 5P20CA202922-04
- **Recipient organization:** LSU HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Fern F Tsien
- **Activity code:** P20 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $79,122
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-09-21 → 2022-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10005328

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10005328, Cancer Research Education Program (5P20CA202922-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10005328. Licensed CC0.

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