Abstract C04: Cancer Disparities Research Network: Facilitating health disparities research and building the next generation of health disparities researchers
Authors: Fleisher Linda , Norbeck Carrie 
Published: May 2016

The Cancer Disparities Research Network (CDRN) is one of NCI-funded GMaP regions which launched in 2009. The Coordinating Office for the CDRN is located at Fox Chase Cancer Center and serves fifteen states including Minnesota, Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, South Dakota, North Dakota, Wisconsin, Indiana, Iowa, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts. CDRN has shown tremendous growth and ingenuity as it pursues the goals of both the overall GMaP Network and the interests of its regional membership. Since the cancer burden across such a large and diverse region is varied our efforts have focused on the universal goal of increasing participation of minority/medically underserved populations in research, particularly biospecimens related research. CDRN has pursued this goal through a number of ways, including pilot projects addressing participation of minorities in biospecimen related research, linking basic and population based researchers to develop new research projects, identifying and networking CURE and other diverse scholars, providing mentorship and professional development activities for junior investigators and creating a culture of collaborative research amongst the network. In addition, we are focusing on building partnerships between cancer centers and Minority Serving Institutions to expand the opportunities for funding and training for future cancer disparities researchers.

Our accomplishments include an initial needs assessment, expansion of the network from 13 original participating institutions representing CRCHD flagship programs to over 40 institutions representing more than 270 members that reflect basic, clinical and population science researchers, senior and junior investigators, CURE scholars, disparities program staff, and National Outreach Network (NON) Community Health Educators (CHEs). We have conducted three research pilots led by various CDRN investigators including the Cancer 101 adaptation pilot with six culturally tailored programs that was evaluated with over 500 participants, pilot test of a biospecimen communication tool, and a pilot minority cohort study. During this time, we have also conducted focus groups with faculty who have been or are currently CURE trainees to better understand their needs and ways the CDRN could support them, provided 20 travel scholarships for early stage investigagors to attend/present at scientific meetings, and held 11 meet-ups with senior and junior faculty at key scientific meeting to encourage networking and mentoring. The CDRN serves as a communication and dissemination hub providing relevant job/funding/training and resources via our website, listserv, and e-blasts, connected junior and senior faculty for grant submissions and creates innovative ways to support the diversity of junior scholars eligible for the CURE pipeline.

These accomplishments have been the result of a collaborative effort with the CDRN Internal Coordinating Committee and the active participation of many investigators at all levels of career development who share their passion to reduce and eliminate cancer health disparities. Here we present these accomplishments, the organizational structure and collaborative efforts, key insights and future activities.

Citation Format: Linda Fleisher, Carrie Norbeck. Cancer Disparities Research Network: Facilitating health disparities research and building the next generation of health disparities researchers. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Eighth AACR Conference on The Science of Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; Nov 13-16, 2015; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2016;25(3 Suppl):Abstract nr C04.