Cancer researchers at NYU Langone Health, Perlmutter Cancer Center, and the Department of Population Health have received a prestigious Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPORE) grant from the National Cancer Institute. The grant contributes to developing a comprehensive translational research program to understand the biologic and social factors, underlying orodigestive tract cancer disparities. 

Led by principal investigator Jiyoung Ahn, PhD, NYU Langone’s Cancer Health Disparity SPORE aims to identify, understand, and control the microbiota that account for orodigestive tract cancer disparities. This could lead to personalized prevention and intervention for these cancers, reducing disparities and the overall burden of these diseases.

Cancer Health Disparities SPORE Projects

Our program includes two translational research projects:

• Project 1. Role of the oral microbiome and tumor microenvironment in disparities in squamous cell head and neck cancer development
• Project 2. Role of the gut microbiome and tumor microenvironment in disparities in colon cancer outcomes

Cores

The two projects are supported by three cores:

• Core A: Administration
• Core B: Biospecimen Procurement and Utilization
• Core C: Biostatistics and Bioinformatics

Developmental Research Program

The developmental research program supports innovative pilot projects in cancer health disparities and encourages translational proposals for understanding the biologic and social factors that cause disparities of orodigestive tract cancers.