How neighborhood conditions and stress relate to cancer outcomes
Neighborhoods, Stress and Cancer Outcomes Across the Cancer Control Continuum: Leveraging ecological theory and geospatial analytics to improve cancer prevention and outcomes (Project LEGO)
This project looks at how where people live and the stress they face connect to cancer risk and survivorship for people affected by cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P30 center grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Maryland Baltimore NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11339024 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers at three cancer centers are combining neighborhood maps, stress measures, health records, and biological samples to understand how local environments influence cancer risk, development, and survivorship. They will use geospatial analytics and ecological theory to link features like access to care, pollution, and social resources with health behaviors and biological stress markers. The project brings together multiple ongoing studies and teams to harmonize data and methods across sites to speed discovery. This grant is an administrative supplement focused on building collaborations and tools rather than testing a new drug or therapy.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are people with or at risk for cancer who live in the regions served by the participating cancer centers and who can share health information, samples, or survey responses.
Not a fit: People looking for immediate changes to their individual clinical treatment are unlikely to benefit directly, because the project focuses on population-level links and methods rather than new therapies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to neighborhood-level changes and targeted supports that reduce cancer risk and improve survivorship.
How similar studies have performed: Prior research has shown neighborhood effects on health and cancer outcomes, but integrating multi-center geospatial analytics with biological markers is relatively new and still developing.
Where this research is happening
Baltimore, United States
- University of Maryland Baltimore — Baltimore, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Owonikoko, Taofeek K — University of Maryland Baltimore
- Study coordinator: Owonikoko, Taofeek K
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 below.