Massachusetts center advancing cancer control through community partnerships
Official title: The Massachusetts Center for Advancing Cancer Control Engaged Research Through Transformative Solutions (Mass-ACCERT)
Funded at Harvard University D/b/a Harvard School of Public Health · NIH-11419757 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A national cancer control center will work with community health centers and hospitals to make breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening and tobacco treatment easier and more accessible for patients.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Harvard University D/b/a Harvard School of Public Health NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | August 16, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,737,947 |
| NIH project number | 5U19CA291431-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11419757 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Individuals served by partner community health centers who are due for breast, cervical, or colorectal cancer screening, and those seeking tobacco treatment support.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not connected to participating centers or not yet eligible for screening or tobacco treatment programs may see limited direct benefit.
What this research studies
This center brings together Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers, and Mass General Brigham to speed up community-academic collaboration. It focuses on empowering health centers to deliver evidence-based cancer screening and tobacco treatment, while strengthening connections between patients and community resources. The work targets social factors like social capital, civic engagement, and digital access to improve prevention and care. Four local priorities guide the effort, aiming to reduce barriers to screening and improve outcomes in real-world communities.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could experience earlier detection, better access to screening, and more support for cancer prevention and tobacco cessation.
How similar studies have gone: Previous community-academic partnerships have shown promise in improving screening uptake and prevention efforts, with this center building on those foundations.
Where this research is happening
-
Harvard University D/b/a Harvard School of Public Health
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Emmons, Karen M. — Harvard University D/b/a Harvard School of Public Health
- Study coordinator: Emmons, Karen M.
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.