In fall 2020, the University of Memphis (UofM) Division of Research & Innovation introduced the West Cancer Foundation Initiative in partnership with West Clinic Foundation and the University’s Office of Development. The West Clinic Cancer Foundation Initiative was created to cultivate research across the UofM campus in areas that advance cancer treatment, promote community health and wellness and/or provide supportive patient care. All researchers and research teams were encouraged to involve research partners from area community organizations and/or other regional institutions as deemed appropriate to the selected theme.
The fall 2020 winning teams are:
Dr. Albert Okunade (professor of Economics), Dr. E. Olusegun George (professor of Mathematical Sciences) and Dr. Ahmad Osmani (2019-20 post-doctoral research fellow in Economics) for “Racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare services utilization among uterine cancer survivors: New evidence from pre and post- Affordable Care Act of 2010.” The priority research area for this project was health equity.
Dr. Seok Won Jin (assistant professor of Social Work), Dr. Sohye Lee (assistant professor of Nursing), Dr. Heather Brandt (director of HPV Cancer Prevention Program and co-associate director for Outreach for St. Jude Comprehensive Cancer Center) for “Assessing Disparities in Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccination in the Mid-South.” The priority research areas for this project were health equity and community outreach, including uninsured/underinsured and HPV.
Dr. Courtnee Melton-Fant (assistant professor of Health Systems Management and Policy), Dr. Katy Ramsey (assistant professor of Law, and director of Medical-Legal Partnership Clinics for the School of Law), and Dr. Austin Harrison (research fellow for Innovate Memphis, and PhD candidate in Urban Studies at Georgia State University) for “The geography of eviction in Memphis: relationships between eviction filings and neighborhood socioeconomic and health outcomes.” The priority research area for this project was health equity.
All winners will participate in a symposium in summer 2021 to share the results of their work.