# The Cancer Research Scholars Program (CRSP): Exploring Research Across the Cancer Continuum and into Underserved Communities

> **NIH NIH R25** · UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI · 2021 · $268,444

## Abstract

Abstract / Summary
Cancer is among the leading causes of death in the United States. Lack of access to advances in cancer prevention, early
screening, and treatment, particularly in low socioeconomic, underserved communities, are cited as substantial barriers to
improving cancer survivorship. Public health experts have indicated that the social environment in which people live, learn,
work, and play also contributes to notable cancer health inequities and is among the most important determinants of health
throughout life. Overcoming the growing complexity of this problem will require a much larger, diverse, and dedicated
workforce. The current pipeline of cancer-focused health care professionals and researchers that understand and manage the
impact of these determinants of health and appropriately engage and connect with their target communities and patient
populations is dangerously inadequate and likely to widen the gap even further. To address this critical need to expand our
future culturally competent, cancer-focused workforce, the University of Cincinnati (UC) and its affiliates collectively seek
to establish and support a Cancer Research Scholars Program (CRSP). Our focus will be on creating unique and inspiring
research and educational experiences to qualified undergraduate students of all races and backgrounds from across the nation
and to implement a program that greatly increases the number of graduate program matriculants. Important to our success
will be CRSP's highly-engaged Cancer Mentor Network (CMN). We are adopting a systems-over-silos approach (i.e., an
approach that crosses health care professions and covers the entire spectrum of cancer care built around the CMN including
faculty from across the UC Cancer Center and residing at both UC and Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. Our
faculty are focused on topics across the cancer continuum including cancer etiology, prevention/screening/health promotion,
clinical cancer research and survivorship. To ensure our Scholars' success, we will: (1) proactively recruit 20-22 outstanding
summer scholars, including at least 8 underrepresented minorities, with an interest in cancer research with the established
infrastructure of our highly successful Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program; (2) provide training
in the essentials of research (e.g., responsible conduct of research, research design, analysis, etc.), the fundamentals of
cancer research across the continuum and an understanding of social determinants of health and their impact on cancer
inequities; (3) offer research experiences in top-notch cancer laboratories that closely match the Scholars' career interests;
(4) actively engage them in a supportive and enthusiastic environment in which they interact professionally and socially
with other Scholars, graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, and junior and senior faculty; (5) provide innovative education
that strengthens academic and professional devel...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10268515
- **Project number:** 1R25CA261610-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI
- **Principal Investigator:** Melinda Sue ButschKovacic
- **Activity code:** R25 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $268,444
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-08-01 → 2026-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10268515

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10268515, The Cancer Research Scholars Program (CRSP): Exploring Research Across the Cancer Continuum and into Underserved Communities (1R25CA261610-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-27 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10268515. Licensed CC0.

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