Northeastern Illinois University faculty members Hardik Marfatia, Shan Wang, Amanda Dykema-Engblade and Cindy Voisine have had projects selected as grant recipients by the ChicagoCHEC Catalyst & Incubator Grant Program.
The investigative teams were selected for proposing novel approaches to addressing cancer disparities and their devotion to advancing cancer health equity through cross-collaboration, high-quality research and unwavering dedication to training and education. It is anticipated that all projects supported by the ChicagoCHEC Catalyst & Incubator Grant Program will expand to become larger, long-term grants.
The creation of ChicagoCHEC was announced on Oct. 23, 2015, with the support of a five-year, $17.4 million grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI).
The effort is being led by community-oriented physician-scientists and researchers: Melissa Simon, M.D., George H. Gardner, M.D., Professor of Clinical Gynecology in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine; Robert Winn, M.D., associate vice president for community-based practice at the University of Illinois Hospital & Health Sciences Systems, professor of Medicine, UIC College of Medicine and Director, University of Illinois Cancer Center; Christina Ciecierski, Ph.D., associate professor of Economics at Northeastern Illinois University; and Moira Stuart, Ph.D., associate professor of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Athletics at Northeastern.
The 2016 ChicagoCHEC Catalyst & Incubator Grant Program projects selected are listed below:
Project 1 (Partnership Development Grant)
Reducing Colorectal Cancer Disparities on the South Side of Chicago through Cross-Institutional Collaboration
Principle Investigator: Danielle Lazar, AM, DrPH Candidate (Access Community Health Network)
Co-Investigators: Kenzie Cameron, PhD (Northwestern University); Hardik Marfatia, PhD (Northeastern Illinois University); Shan Wang, PhD (Northeastern Illinois University); Kameron Matthews, MD, JD (University of Illinois Chicago); Karriem Watson, DHSc (University of Illinois Chicago)
Project 2 (Proposal Development Grant)
Community-Engaged Obesity Intervention Development for Puerto Rican and Mexican Men
Principle Investigator: Lisa Sanchez-Johnsen, PhD (University of Illinois Chicago)
Co-Investigators: Magdalena Nava, BA (Puerto Rican Cultural Center); Leonilda Calderon, BA (Puerto Rican Cultural Center); Amanda Dykema-Engblade, PhD (Northeastern Illinois University); Alfred Rademaker, PhD (Northwestern University)
Project 3 (Pilot Project Catalyst Grant)
Prostate Cancer Disparity in Chicago-Area African American Men: Patient-derived Models and Biomarkers of Cancer Risk
Principle Investigator: Larissa Nonn, PhD (University of Illinois Chicago)
Co-Investigators: Sarki Abdulkadir, MD, PhD (Northwestern University); Cindy Voisine, PhD (Northeastern Illinois University); Adam Murphy, MD (Northwestern University/ Jesse Brown VA); Marcus Murray, BA (Project Brotherhood)
