Caribbean cancer and environmental hazards center
Official title: Research Project
Funded at Comprehensive Cancer Center/ Univ/pr · NIH-11195043 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project learns how hurricanes, pollution, and other environmental hazards affect cancer risk and quality of life for people in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.
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) | $399,836 |
| NIH project number | 5P20CA294096-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11195043 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are residents of Puerto Rico or the US Virgin Islands, especially cancer survivors or people living in areas exposed to hurricanes, pollution, or other environmental hazards.
✕Less likely to help
People who do not live in Puerto Rico or the US Virgin Islands or who have no exposure to local environmental hazards are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this project.
What this research studies
If you take part, the CARIB-CARES team will combine health records and environmental data to look for links between extreme weather, pollution, social factors, and cancer rates in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. They'll invite cancer survivors and residents to complete surveys about how storms and pollution have affected their health and daily life. The team will also hold interviews and focus groups with patients, local leaders, and health workers to learn community needs and priorities. The center will use these findings to help design better prevention, response, and support programs for local communities.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to better prevention, disaster planning, and support services tailored to people with cancer in the US Caribbean Territories.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research has linked storms and pollution to health harms, but applying combined epidemiology, survivor surveys, and community interviews specifically in PR and USVI is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
Comprehensive Cancer Center/ Univ/pr
San Juan, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cardona-Cordero, Nancy R — Comprehensive Cancer Center/ Univ/pr
- Study coordinator: Cardona-Cordero, Nancy R
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.