Rio Grande Valley Cancer Health Disparities Center
Official title: Rio Grande Valley Cancer Health Disparity Research Center
Funded at University of Texas Rio Grande Valley · NIH-11313862 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This program helps people in the Rio Grande Valley access cancer education, screening, and support to navigate care and research opportunities.
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) | $504,291 |
| NIH project number | 5U54MD019970-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11313862 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are residents of the Rio Grande Valley, particularly people from underserved communities who need cancer screening, follow-up care, or help navigating health services.
✕Less likely to help
People who live outside the Rio Grande Valley or who do not want assistance with cancer screening or care navigation are unlikely to benefit directly.
What this research studies
If you live in the Rio Grande Valley, this center partners with local organizations to bring cancer outreach, education, and screening into your community. They offer patient navigation to help you make appointments, follow up after tests, and connect with treatment resources. The team works with Area Health Education Centers and community advisory boards to build trust, train providers and trainees, and share research results in plain language. Outreach includes culturally tailored activities and cross-sector referral networks to increase participation and reduce cancer disparities.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could increase early detection, improve access to treatment, and reduce cancer-related health disparities in the region.
How similar studies have gone: Other community-engagement and patient-navigation programs have improved screening and follow-up in underserved areas, though outcomes vary by community and program design.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Edinburg, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Perez, Lubeth — University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
- Study coordinator: Perez, Lubeth
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.