AACR Science of Health Disparities 2019 Travel Awardees
“I was able to connect with many senior investigators and learn about how they navigated academia and the exciting opportunities that come with obtaining a PhD. I am more motivated than ever to continue my line of work in cancer health disparities.” – F31 pre-doctoral candidate.
“When meeting with early career researchers, I asked them to share their stories of their career trajectories. This information is very valuable as I consider my next steps professionally.” – Postdoc trainee
“By attending the MICR Professional Advancement Session, I was able to gain some valuable insight into pertinent questions related to career development. I was also able to connect with NCI program officers and a program manager for one of my current research projects with a private foundation. Additionally, I was able to engage with fellow researchers at my and other institutions and make connections to that will serve our on-going research.” – This awardee first joined GMaP in 2017 when we provided a Travel Award for her to attend a GMaP Training Workshop held in Philadelphia. She subsequently was awarded a K01 in Fall 2020. Her 2019 travel award post-report continues to say, “GMaP has done a fantastic job of keeping members informed of career opportunities. I am aware of grant review opportunities and career development workshop opportunities. I greatly appreciate the connections, information, financial support, and assistance that I have gained thus far. In the future, I think further assistance from GMaP in identifying mentors, workshop, and grant opportunities are vital and I hope to deepen my involvement with GMaP moving forward.”
Current Pilot Awardees
Jennifer Spencer, PhD — DF/HCC
Incorporating Sexual Minority Populations into HPV Transmission Modeling
Leslie Ann Caromile, PhD — UCONN Health
PSMA inhibition and improved prostate cancer drug delivery
Paz Polak, PhD — Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital
Identification of cancer driver genes in breast cancer of Hispanic and African American populations patients
Jessica D. Austin, PhD, MPH — Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health
Supporting Informed Mammography Screening Decisions among Older, Hispanic, Spanish-Speaking Women and their Caregivers: Cultural Adaptation and Pilot testing of a Paper-Based Decision Aid
Quotes From Past Pilot Awardees
GMaP Region 4 previously funded three $10,000 Pilot Awards to junior investigators to allow them to strengthen their feasibility data they will be using in their next CURE or other funding applications:
- Dr. Adolfo G. Cuevas - Tufts University: "The Association between Psychosocial Stress and Overweight/Obesity" *Results of pilot project: Four papers under review, completing analysis on two more. "GMaP has been vital in helping me secure the KL2 Career Development Award."
- Dr. Jasmine McDonald - Columbia University: "Milk Associated Markers and Breast Optical Spectroscopy Study (MAMA BOSS)" *Results: Submitting manuscript summer 2019; "The GMaP Award has facilitated my growth as an independent investigator and is supporting my R01 submission."
- Dr. Leslie Caromile - UCONN Health: "The role of PSMA on metabolic signatures of prostate cancer" *Results: Two manuscripts under review; "Securing this type of funding will allow me to continue to dive deeper into the biology of PMSA and build upon these new ideas and philosophies that have arose from my K01 as well as other novel concepts generated through advances in the field."