MD Anderson Cancer Center – UT Austin Strategic Collaboration
MD Anderson Cancer Center and UT Austin have launched a strategic collaboration aimed at promoting joint research projects between the two institutions. Efforts include the creation of a pilot fund and communities of practice that allow researchers to connect over mutual research interests. Investigators and leadership have worked together to identify research themes of mutual interest.
The originally identified themes of interest include:
Early-Onset Colorectal Cancer (EOCRC)
- Early detection/prevention
- Epigenetics & genomics
- Health disparities
- Microbiome
- Radiomics
Obesity
- Metabolic, inflammation or hormonal cancer cells
- Nutrition/microbiome studies in cancer models
- Exercise and its effects on cancer cells and clinical outcomes
- Obesity as a risk factor
Frontiers of Neuroscience
- Addiction
- Brain tumors and metastases
- Neurodegeneration
Population Health
- Social drivers of health
- Health communication, message design and place-based intervention
- Cancer risk factors (other than obesity)
Pilot Fund
A joint pilot fund has been established to co-develop transformative research projects with the expectation of attracting future extramural funding. Seed projects will be supported at a level of up to $50,000 for one year. Submissions may fall under the topics mentioned above, but proposals are also accepted in other investigator-initiated research areas.
Proposals are solicited for basic, translational, clinical and/or epidemiologic studies focused on fundamental biological processes, translational or clinical investigations and public health effects. Proposals must have PIs from both institutions to qualify for funding.
Events
The third annual UT Austin and MD Anderson Collaborative Research Summit will be held in Fall 2024. A schedule and registration information will be announced soon.