# University of New Mexico's CURE for Cancer

> **NIH NIH R25** · UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO HEALTH SCIS CTR · 2024 · $410,264

## Abstract

ABSTRACT / SUMMARY
Responding to community concerns related to higher cancer incidences and worse outcomes among New
Mexico’s ethnically and racially diverse communities, the University of New Mexico (UNM) Continuing Umbrella
of Research Experiences (CURE) for Cancer program was inaugurated in 2015. Since then the program has
trained 45 high school (85% AI, any race) and 47 undergraduate students (51% AI, 32% Hispanic, any race)
who have continued/completed their education through pursuit of college, and advanced degree programs, and
are entering the scientific and health professions workforce. Cancer and inflammation associated chronic
diseases (type 2 diabetes and obesity) represent disproportionate causes of morbidity and mortality among New
Mexico’s populations; including people with limited economic resources, and rural residents. In response to the
NCI R25 Youth Enjoy Science program call for developing a diverse biomedical workforce, the CURE for Cancer
program builds on well-established experiential cancer-focused summer research internships and curricula that
advance knowledge of current and emerging cancer innovations and career paths. Relevant role models and
peer-networks that value cultural identity while building science identity is shown to promote persistence. The
CURE for Cancer program has established networks to allow statewide and national recruitment and training of
American Indian, Hispanic and other underrepresented students. Thus, the CURE for Cancer program is
uniquely poised to increase the representation of American Indians and Hispanics in the sciences and address
a pressing national challenge to reduce the higher prevalence of cancer among these populations. The CURE
for Cancer Program Specific Aims synergize with the overarching goals of the University of New Mexico
Comprehensive Cancer Center and will: 1) Increase participation and persistence of students underrepresented
in cancer research from the high school to the undergraduate levels through targeted recruitment, inter-
programmatic connectivity, tracking and formal evaluation, 2) Encourage cancer career pursuit through
specialized curricula, clinical exposure, and immersive research programs for high school and undergraduate
students and 3) Engage New Mexico's rural and underserved Hispanic and tribal communities in science and
health education through a Cancer-STEM Pathways Conference for middle school students and engaged youth
ambassadors. Annual evaluation, student tracking and regular review by an Advisory Committee, will assess
student benefit and program impact. The successful completion of these aims is expected to increase the
likelihood that underrepresented populations will proceed to and graduate from college, attend
graduate/professional school or work in cancer related professions. Moreover, what makes UNM CURE unique
is its coupling of culturally relevant pedagogy with cutting edge cancer research training that is integrated with
Hispanic and Na...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10932170
- **Project number:** 5R25CA247794-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO HEALTH SCIS CTR
- **Principal Investigator:** Jennifer Gillette
- **Activity code:** R25 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $410,264
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-09-20 → 2028-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10932170

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10932170, University of New Mexico's CURE for Cancer (5R25CA247794-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10932170. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*