Annual Report 2020 | Page 20

ADDRESSING CANCER DISPARITIES ACROSS THE PACIFIC

The National Cancer Institute has awarded over $ 14 million to support the collaborative efforts of the UH Cancer Center and the University of Guam ( UOG ) through the Pacific Island Partnership for Cancer Health Equity ( PIPCHE ). The PIPCHE seeks to mitigate the impact of cancer on Pacific Islanders in Hawai ‘ i , Guam , and the United States Affiliated Pacific Islands of the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas , American Samoa , the Federated States of Micronesia , the Republic of the Marshall Islands , and the Republic of Palau , through research , career training , and community outreach . Funds from the grant will be used to develop and maintain the research infrastructure needed to address the significant cancer disparities across the Pacific , provide research training for students and early-career scientists , and engage communities in outreach activities to advance knowledge , awareness , behavior change , and public health policy .
Since 2003 , when the first PIPCHE grant was awarded , its funds have supported 25 research projects , trained over 100 underrepresented students and scientists , contributed over 100 peer-reviewed publications and , in the last cycle alone , acquired over $ 34 million in additional funding to explore research questions that are unique to the Pacific . The PIPCHE provides a platform to bring equity and resilience to the indigenous peoples of the Pacific , and allows the UH Cancer Center and UOG to do much more than either institution could accomplish alone .
PIPCHE HAS BEEN TRULY TRANSFORMATIONAL FOR RESEARCH HERE AT UOG . BEFORE PIPCHE , THERE WAS ZERO CANCER RESEARCH AND VERY LITTLE HEALTH-RELATED RESEARCH OCCURRING AT UOG . NOW WE HAVE MULTIPLE FEDERAL RESEARCH GRANTS STUDYING CANCER , CHILD OBESITY , CARDIOMETABOLIC HEALTH , AND DEMENTIA .
RACHAEL LEON GUERRERO , PHD , RD , PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR AND PROFESSOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF GUAM
UNIVERSITY OF GUAM CAMPUS
18