The University of Rochester’s Wilmot Cancer Institute put together a Research Advisory Board in May 2021 to help advise a research study focused on Black individuals, colon cancer and immunotherapy. The advisory board is made up of community members from a diverse array of fields - healthcare, government, policy, sociology, preventative health, nursing, etc.
My role: Board member, Content & Communications Strategist
Our team meets on a regular basis to help advise the researchers on their protocols, such as research methodologies, survey design, survey framing, sociological / psychological / economic / political / analytics, and implications of the data on communities of color. We advise and create media communication strategies for community outreach and campaigns, advise research protocols from a diversity, equity, and inclusion lens, and QA / copy-edit brochures, flyers, and infographics.
This is a national research study, and the University of Rochester’s Wilmot Cancer Institute is playing a part. There are other sites throughout the US who are also involved.
Research focus: evaluating African Americans and immunotherapy, and what the effects of immunotherapy are on African-Americans, as there is little research on the effects on Black people, respectively.
Wilmot is a leader in cancer research:
Wilmot Cancer Institute scientists aided in two of the top five cancer discoveries of the past 50 years, as cited by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO): Contributions to the HPV cervical cancer vaccine, and pioneering work toward anti-nausea therapies to help patients tolerate chemotherapy.
Wilmot is at the epicenter of cancer control research, as one of two U.S. hubs for the National Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP).
Wilmot is a trailblazer in aging and cancer research, helping write the evidence-based guidelines for managing older patients taking chemotherapy, and starting one of the nation's first geriatric oncology clinics.
Wilmot is at the forefront of lymphoma research by often leading the nation in clinical trial accruals, holding top positions in key organizations including the SWOG lymphoma committee, and being among the first institutions to offer cellular (CAR T-cell) therapy backed by ongoing research.