Caribbean Cancer and Environmental Hazards Center
Official title: The Caribbean Cancer Research Center on Environmental and Natural Hazards
Funded at Comprehensive Cancer Center/ Univ/pr · NIH-11195037 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This effort brings together Caribbean hospitals, communities, and researchers to reduce how storms and pollution interrupt cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Comprehensive Cancer Center/ Univ/pr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Juan, United States) |
| Project start | September 20, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $1,143,944 |
| NIH project number | 5P20CA294096-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11195037 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People living in Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands—especially cancer patients, survivors, and residents near contaminated sites or those affected by extreme weather—are the most likely participants.
✕Less likely to help
People who do not live in the US Caribbean or whose cancer care is unaffected by environmental hazards may not directly benefit from this center's activities.
What this research studies
This program brings together local hospitals, government agencies, universities, and community groups to study how storms, pollution, and other environmental hazards affect cancer prevention, screening, diagnosis, and treatment in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Teams will collect information from communities, healthcare providers, and environmental records and may use surveys, outreach, and tracking of service disruptions after extreme weather. The center will map contaminated sites, study exposure pathways, and work with partners to reduce risks and strengthen systems so cancer care can continue during and after disasters. If you live in the region, researchers may ask you to share health information, participate in community activities, or help design better local supports for cancer care.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help keep screening and treatment services available during and after extreme weather and reduce exposures that raise cancer risk.
How similar studies have gone: Related community-focused programs have improved screening and emergency responses in other regions, but a dedicated, region-specific Caribbean center combining environmental mapping and cancer control is a new approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Comprehensive Cancer Center/ Univ/pr
San Juan, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ortiz, Ana Patricia — Comprehensive Cancer Center/ Univ/pr
- Study coordinator: Ortiz, Ana Patricia
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.