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Health Disparities

The field of emerging technologies has been identified by the Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities (CRCHD) and CPTC as an increasingly important area for training. It is essential that investigators from racial/ethnic groups and individuals from disadvantaged populations become involved in emerging technology development because of its potential to advance the field of cancer research, and by extension, support the NCI strategic objective to overcome cancer health disparities. By definition, underserved investigators are those who meet one or more of the following criteria:

  • Individuals from racial and ethnic groups that have been shown to be underrepresented in cancer-related biomedical, behavioral, clinical, or social science research; individuals with disabilities;
  • first generation college graduates;
  • individuals who come from a family with an annual income below established low-income thresholds; and,
  • individuals who come from a social, cultural, and/or educational environment, such as that found in certain rural or inner-city environments.

The Emerging Technology Continuing Umbrella of Research Experiences (ET CURE) program addresses the need for a diverse cancer research community in the 21st century that reflects the nation’s “ethnic heterogeneity” and is sensitive to the significant disparities in cancer health across diverse populations. The overarching goals of the Emerging Technologies Continuing Umbrella of Research Experiences (ET CURE) initiative are to:

  • Create a pipeline of underserved students and investigators in the fields of emerging and advanced technologies;
  • Increase the number of scientists from underserved populations with training in the elective disciplines of focus, such as nanotechnology, clinical proteomics, bioinformatics, biophotonics, and cancer health disparities across the cancer research continuum;
  • Enhance application of emerging technologies to cancer research through increased training and educational opportunities; and
  • Foster academic, scientific, and multi-disciplinary research excellence, culminating in the emergence of a mature investigator capable of securing competitive advanced research project funding.

CRCHD has partnered with and works closely with the CPTC initiative. CPTC has created unique training opportunities based on the emerging technology elective and the trainee’s career station. The research supplements to promote diversity in health-related research are available to principal investigators at domestic institutions who hold an active U01 or U54 grant. These investigators may be eligible to submit a request for an administrative supplement to the awarding component of the parent grant. These mechanisms have been targeted to improve the diversity of the trainees within CPTC.

The future of addressing health disparities is bleak without the inclusion of culturally competent, diverse scientists and physicians. It is paramount that we enhance application of emerging technologies to cancer research through increased training and educational opportunities and increase the number of individuals with diversity in the pool of future investigators. It is believed that the provision of resources, the joining of committed partners, and the utilization of effective funding opportunities in concert will bring to fruition a positive impact on diversity in the areas of emerging technologies and reducing cancer health disparities.

For more information, please visit the CHRHD web site at: http://crchd.cancer.gov/