Cancer community outreach and engagement in the Wake Forest region
Official title: Community Outreach and Engagement
Funded at Wake Forest University Health Sciences · NIH-11472557 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This program connects people across a 30-county Wake Forest area to cancer screenings, education, and opportunities to help shape research.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P30 center grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Wake Forest University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Winston-Salem, United States) |
| Project start | February 1, 1997 |
| Project end | January 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $91,776 |
| NIH project number | 5P30CA012197-51 |
| Project ID | NIH-11472557 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People living in the program's 30-county catchment area, especially those at higher risk for breast, colon, lung, or prostate cancer or who are rural, low-income, or medically underserved.
✕Less likely to help
People living outside the Wake Forest catchment area or those seeking specialized clinical treatments rather than community outreach or screening are unlikely to benefit directly from this program.
What this research studies
From a patient perspective, this program works with local partners like churches and community ambassadors to bring cancer screening and prevention information to neighborhoods. It focuses on four high-burden cancers — breast, colon, lung, and prostate — and prioritizes rural, low-income, and medically underserved communities. The team runs screening events, educational sessions, trains research staff in community engagement, and supports community members to advise and join research efforts. These activities happen through two main campuses and many regional sites to reach residents across North and South Carolina.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could increase access to cancer screening and prevention services and make research more relevant to local communities.
How similar studies have gone: Community outreach programs like this have previously increased screening rates and research participation, and this program reports measurable results such as thousands of screenings and community advisory hours.
Where this research is happening
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Wake Forest University Health Sciences
Winston-Salem, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mesa, Ruben a. — Wake Forest University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Mesa, Ruben a.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.