Reducing cervical cancer deaths in the Rio Grande Valley
Official title: Rio Grande Valley Cancer Health Disparity Research Center
Funded at University of Texas Rio Grande Valley · NIH-11313863 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will identify which HPV types and social or environmental factors raise cervical cancer risk for women living in the Rio Grande Valley so prevention and care can be focused where it is most needed.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Texas Rio Grande Valley NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Edinburg, United States) |
| Project start | August 18, 2024 |
| Project end | March 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $328,216 |
| NIH project number | 5U54MD019970-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11313863 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are adult women who live in the Rio Grande Valley (Cameron, Hidalgo, Willacy, or Starr counties) who can provide cervical samples and basic health and lifestyle information.
✕Less likely to help
People who do not live in the Rio Grande Valley, men, or patients with cancers unrelated to HPV are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
What this research studies
We will work with women in Cameron, Hidalgo, Willacy, and Starr counties to collect cervical samples and information about health, nutrition, and behaviors. Laboratory testing will measure HPV infection rates, determine HPV genotypes, and look for HPV16 E6 genetic variants in samples. Researchers will analyze how poverty, nutrition, environmental exposures, and socio-behavioral factors link with HPV types and early cervical changes. The results will be used to guide locally tailored screening, vaccination outreach, and prevention efforts in the community.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could enable more targeted HPV screening, vaccination, and prevention efforts that reduce cervical cancer deaths in the Rio Grande Valley.
How similar studies have gone: Similar HPV genotyping and population-based approaches have helped other communities tailor prevention and lower cervical cancer burden, but detailed HPV data for the Rio Grande Valley is currently lacking.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Edinburg, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cobos, Everardo — University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
- Study coordinator: Cobos, Everardo
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.