Baylor to Direct New Hispanic Cancer Program

Baylor College of Medicine will take the lead on one of the nation's most comprehensive initiatives among its Hispanic populations in the fight against cancer.

The five-year program, Redes En Accion: Cancer Training, Research and Awareness, will be under the direction of Dr. Amelie Ramirez, associate professor of medicine and deputy director of the Chronic Disease Prevention and Control Research Center at Baylor.

The goal of Redes En Accion (Networks in Action) is to develop a broad-based coalition of cancer research centers, community-based organizations and federal partners to foster a national infrastructure for Hispanic cancer prevention and control activities.

"This is a milestone event - a major commitment to setting, prioritizing and effecting an agenda of cancer issues impacting Hispanics all over the country," Dr. Ramirez says.

In addition to developing regional networks, Redes En Accion will establish training and research opportunities for Hispanic students and researchers, and develop pilot research projects on key cancer issues affecting Hispanics. Program activities also include developing pilot projects into full, competing grant applications and providing support for cancer awareness activities among Hispanic communities.

Redes En Accion is part of a new $60 million effort recently announced by the National Cancer Institute to address cancer-related issues among certain special populations in this country. It is funded by one of 18 grants at 17 institutions creating or implementing cancer control, prevention, research and training programs in minority and underserved populations.

Redes En Accion regional activities will be coordinated by sites in six cities, including San Antonio, Brooklyn, Miami, Chicago, San Francisco and San Diego. Also participating as partners in the program are the National Hispanic Medical Association and the Cancer Information Service in San Francisco, Houston, Miami and New York.

"Redes En Accion represents the most ambitious effort ever to draw upon the expertise of local, regional and national groups and work together to reduce the burden of cancer among Latino populations," Dr. Ramirez says.

- LYNN FOLTIN

---

©2006 Texas Medical Center

---

E-Mail: tmcinfo@texmedctr.tmc.edu
URL: http://www.tmc.edu/tmcnews/08_15_00/page_05.html