The overall goal of this collaboration between New Mexico State University (NMSU), a minority-serving institution, and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (FHCRC), a comprehensive cancer center, is to expand the current regional cancer program at NMSU and to increase knowledge and attention to cancer related health disparities at FHCRC and NMSU. Three specific aims will help us achieve our overall goal: 1.To conduct a diverse portfolio of cancer research projects. We will use the same structured development and rigorous review process to select new projects during the five-year award. 2. To maintain, strengthen, and evaluate our effective training programs for current and future underserved scientists. A new core will integrate all training components. 3. To implement cancer-related public health interventions in underserved communities. As part of this aim, we will conduct research and disseminate evidence-based practices. This proposal begins with a section elucidating the overall objectives and partnership integration of the proposal. We discuss our goals and objectives, our planning, and especially our progress in the current U54. This is followed by an Administrative Core (Core B) that describes the leadership of the two institutions and the mechanism for ensuring junior faculty have sufficient mentorship to move to senior positions. Our Planning and Evaluation Core (Core C) outlines the rigorous procedures we have in place for evaluating current and future projects. The Development Core (Core D) includes two pilot projects and two full projects. Our new Integrated Training and Evaluation Core (Core E) seeks to provide numerous opportunities for ongoing training and meticulous evaluation of those training activities. The Outreach Core (Core F) focuses on training medical residents and health care providers, an academic-community partnership, and outreach through Community Health Educators who will collaborate with the County Extension Service to provide evidence-based interventions to community members. A logic model indicates how the pieces come together to have significant impact on both cancer research and cancer disparities.

This collaboration between New Mexico State University (NMSU) and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (FHCRC) seeks to build and enhance cancer research at NMSU, increase attention to health disparities at the FHCRC, train underrepresented students as well as junior faculty to fill cancer research positions throughout the nation, and provide outreach on cancer awareness and education to New Mexico.