The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center has secured around $4.9m from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) for its cancer prevention initiatives and faculty hiring.
The funding includes grants for cancer survivor-focused programmes and the recruitment of tenure-track faculty.
MD Anderson's Active Living After Cancer (ALAC) programme obtained two grants worth around $2.45m in total from CPRIT to expand its implementation in Texas.
ALAC aims to improve the quality of life for cancer survivors by promoting physical activity and providing support for survivorship challenges.
Available in English and Spanish, the programme includes in-person and virtual components designed for underserved cancer survivors.
The grants will also facilitate online training for healthcare providers using the Project ECHO telementoring platform, which will help them advise cancer patients about exercise.
MD Anderson Center for Energy Balance in Cancer Prevention and Survivorship director Karen Basen-Engquist said: “These awards are critical for us to continue providing this evidence-based programme, which has been shown to significantly improve quality of life and physical functioning, to Texas cancer survivors.
“More than 1,500 cancer survivors, the majority living in medically underserved areas, already have benefitted from this programme, and we are grateful to CPRIT for providing the support to help us expand its reach.”
MD Anderson professors Lorraine Reitzel and Maggie Britton were awarded $449,776 to implement and disseminate the Taking Texas Tobacco Free programme, an evidence-based intervention scheme that targets opioid use treatment centres.
CPRIT has also granted $2m to MD Anderson for the recruitment of a first-time, tenure-track faculty member.
MD Anderson president Peter WT Pisters said: “These awards are a testament to the unwavering commitment of our talented scientists and clinicians to develop and deliver interventions that improve quality of life and reduce the burden of cancer across our state.”
