Moffitt Cancer Center receives GMaP grant to strengthen cancer health disparities

Moffitt Cancer Center received a grant from the National Cancer Institute Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities to bring together researchers, trainees, new and early-stage investigators, and community health members to identify and prioritize region-specific cancer research, education, outreach and training needs. The grant is part of the Geographical Management of Cancer Health Disparities Program (GMaP), a network of regional hubs that provide a systematic approach to facilitating collaboration, cooperation, information- and resource-sharing, and capacity-building among cancer health disparities researchers, trainees, outreach workers and organizations, with the key goal of advancing cancer health disparities research and training. Moffitt serves as the hub for GMaP Region 2, which includes more than 40 partner institutions in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi and Puerto Rico.

"The GMaP award provides support for a comprehensive and participatory team science approach to tackling health disparities in a region historically characterized by persistent excess cancer burden," said Clement Gwede, Ph.D., M.P.H., R.N., F.A.A.N., co-project director of GMaP Region 2 and associate member of the Health Outcomes & Behavior Program at Moffitt.

"This work nicely builds upon the region's longstanding collaborative efforts to reduce disparities through outreach, research and innovative training for underserved populations," added Cathy Meade, Ph.D., R.N., F.A.A.N, co-project director of the GMaP Region 2 and senior member of the Health Outcomes & Behavior Program at Moffitt.

In January, 25 investigators and community health educators convened in Tampa to plan and kick off these activities.

Some of GMaP activities include:

• Trainee/Early Career Scientists Travel and Expert Grant Review Awards
• Cancer Health Disparities Research Course
• Collaborative Inter-institutional Research Pilot Funding
• Regional Communications about Current Research and Training Opportunities.

Provided by H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute