(2/3) MMC, VICC, and TSU: Partners in Eliminating Cancer Disparities

Cancer health differences across populations are the result of a combination of socioeconomic, environmental, behavioral, and biological factors. These differences impact cancer incidence, prevalence, mortality, survivorship, financial burden, and screening rates. The long-standing and mature Meharry Medical College (MMC), Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center (VICC), Tennessee State University (TSU) Cancer Partnership (MVTCP), continues to provide and expand upon an exceptional cancer research and training environment to support the efforts of all investigators in addressing population differences. These efforts span across multiple disciplines to study the health determinants at an NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center (VICC), along with enhancing research infrastructure, capacity-building, and impact at MMC and TSU. Collectively, over the past twenty years of partnership, these collaborative efforts provide a robust infrastructure to improve cancer-related health outcomes while expanding research opportunities, recruitment, and training. Our triad has benefited from sustained and strong collaborative interactions between the three partner institutions, resulting in robust community and educational outcomes. Moreover, the geographical placement of this triad in Tennessee, a region with some of the highest cancer incidence and mortality rates in the United States, also provides a unique opportunity for our Partnership to positively impact outcomes for cancer patients in this geographical region. This region continues to have significant differences in lung, breast, prostate, and colorectal cancers across populations. Our ultimate goals are to improve cancer outcomes across all populations while simultaneously strengthening research impact.