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2022 Edition, Issue #3

Welcome to our Cancer Prevention and Control (CPC) quarterly newsletter. The goal in producing this newsletter is to keep our members informed and involved. We are highlighting opportunities for collaborations, new funding opportunities, new grants and promotions, new members, and upcoming seminars and events. We always welcome your suggestions and contributions for future issues. Past issues of the CPC Newsletter can be found online here at the Rutgers Cancer Institute's website.
We want to promote your new publications, grants, and study recruitment!

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Rutgers Cancer Prevention and Population Research
Welcome New Members!

Christina Amaro, PhD

Instructor 

Department of Pediatrics

Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology

Section of Pediatric

Population Science

Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

Benjamin A. Bates, MD

Instructor

Center for Pharmacoepidemiology and Treatment Science Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research

Associate Member  of Cancer Prevention and Control Program

Katie Darabos, PhD

Instructor

Department of Health Behavior, Society,

and Policy

Rutgers School of Public Health

Farzin Khosrow-Khavar, BSc, MSc, PhD

Instructor

Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics

Rutgers School of Public Health


Hari S. Iyer, ScD, MPH

Assistant Professor

Department of Medicine

Division of Medical Oncology

Section of Cancer Epidemiology and Health Outcomes,

Robert Wood Johnson Medical School


Associate Member of Cancer Prevention and Control Program

   Chaelin Karen Ra, PhD

Instructor

Department of Medicine

Division of Medical Oncology

Section of Behavioral Sciences, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School


Full Member of Cancer Prevention and Control Program

   Andrea Villanti, PhD, MPH

    Deputy Director

Rutgers Center for

Tobacco Studies

Associate Professor

Department of Health Behavior, Society and Policy,

Rutgers School of Public Health



Upcoming Events - Save the Date

CPC Program Seminars

October 18, 2022

3:00 - 4:00 pm


Sam Trejo, PhD

Assistant Professor of Sociology

Office of Population Research

Princeton University

Register

November 15, 2022

3:00 - 4:00 pm


Sharon Manne, PhD

Chief, Section of Behavioral Sciences

Professor of Medicine, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

Co-Director, Cancer Survivorship and Outcomes Center

Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey


Carolyn Heckman, PhD

Professor of Medicine

Co-Leader, Cancer Prevention and Control Program

Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey

Register

Pre- and Post Doc Seminar Series 2022



October 14, 2022

12:00-1:00 pm


Keynote: Gary Kwok, PhD

Host: Katie Devine, PhD, MPH

Title: TBD


Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey

195 Little Albany Street

Auditorium B

New Brunswick, New Jersey

Grand Rounds and Distinguished Lectures

November 2, 2022

4:00 - 5:00 pm

 

  Erica T. Warner, ScD, MPH

 Assistant Professor

Department of Medicine

Harvard Medical School 

 Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center

Assistant Investigator

Department of Medicine

Massachusetts General Hospital 

 

Host: Elisa Bandera, MD, PhD (CPC)


Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey

195 Little Albany Street

Auditorium A

New Brunswick, New Jersey


If you are unable to attend in-person, please use the link below to register and attend via WebEx.

Join WebEx

November 16, 2022

4:00 - 5:00 pm

 

  Edward L. Giovannucci , MD, ScD

 Professor of Nutrition and Epidemiology

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health 

 Associate Epidemiologist

Department of Medicine

Brigham and Women's Hospital


Host: Elisa Bandera, MD, PhD (CPC)


Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey

195 Little Albany Street

Auditorium A

New Brunswick, New Jersey


Upcoming Conferences


American Society of Preventive Oncology (ASPO) 47th Annual Meeting

March 12-14, 2023 - (San Diego, CA)

Registration Deadline: Online registration will open in November 2022

Abstract Submission: Abstract Submission for oral presentations and posters opens in early October


Society of Behavioral Medicine (SBM) 44th Annual Meeting & Scientific Sessions

April 26-29, 2023 - (Phoenix, AZ)

Registration Deadline: Online registration will open in November 2022

Rapid submission deadline:  November 15, 2022


2023 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting

June 2-6, 2023 - (Chicago, IL)

Registration Deadline: Registration and Hotel Reservations Opens in Mid-December 2022

Abstracts Due: February 14, 2023

Research Meetings & Events Calendar
Grants Awarded

2022-2025. PI: Denalee O'Malley, PhD

Title: "Optimizing Colorectal Cancer Screening among Patients with Diabetes in Safety-Net Primary Care Settings"

Sponsor: NCI Grant #:4R00CA256043-03


2022-2024. PI: Zhaomeng Niu, PhD

Title: "Developing and testing a mobile health intervention to promote sun protection behaviors and skin examination among Hispanics"

Sponsor: National Institute on Minority Health and Health Dipartites

Grant #:1K99MD016435-01A1


2022-2025. PI: Raquel (Kelly) Kohler, PhD, MSPH

Title: "Addressing HPV Vaccination Disparities Through Tailored Messaging for Hesitant Families"

Sponsor: NIH Grant #:1K22CA258675-01A1



2022-2025. PI: Nur Zeinomar, PhD

Title: "Leveraging high-risk populations for precision prevention: A novel approach for improving prediction for outcomes after a breast cancer diagnosis"

Sponsor: NIH Grant #:1K22CA251493-01A1


2022-2023. PI: Haejin In, MD, MPH, MBA, FACS, FSSO

Title: Pilot Study of Stomach Cancer Early Detection and Prevention with Endoscopy 

Sponsor: 2022 Cancer Health Equity and Catchment Area Research Pilot Award Program

Rutgers CINJ Internal Funding Opportunities


FY23 - Cancer Prevention and Control (CPC) Pilot Award - Fall Cycle 

Award Range: Up to $65,000


FY23 - Cancer Health Equity Center of Excellence (CHECoE) Pilot Award Program

Award Range: Up to $100,000


FY23 - Cancer Survivorship Research Center’s Pilot Award Program

Award Range: Up to $50,000


Due Date for all of the Pilot Awards is October 31, 2022


To apply, please click on the links above or go to https://rutgers.infoready4.com/#cinj, select the competition, then login as follows:


• Rutgers Members – use your NET ID and password

• Princeton Members – register your preferred email address and password (or use existing if already registered)

Congratulations to CPC Members


Cristine Delnevo, PhD, MPH, Director of the Rutgers Center for Tobacco Studies and Professor of Health Behavior, Society and Policy at the Rutgers School of Public Health, has been appointed chair of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee (TPSAC). Click here to learn more.  


Carolyn Heckman, PhD, has been promoted to Full Professor of Medicine, Co-Leader, Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey.


Racquel (Kelly) Kohler, PhD, MSPH, has been promoted to Assistant Professor of Social and Behavioral Sciences in the Department of Health Behavior, Society & Policy at Rutgers School of Public Health and the Center for Cancer Health Equity at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey. 


Evan Kovac, MD, CM, FRCSC, Associate Professor of Urology, Rutgers, New Jersey Medical School, was appointed to the Societé Intenationale d’Urologie (SIU) Academie Sub-Committee on Prostate Cancer Education in May 2022. 


Bo (Bonnie) Qin, PhD, Assistant Professor, Division of Medical Oncology, Cancer Epidemiology and Health Outcomes, was chosen for and accepted a two-year position on the American Society of Preventive Oncology (ASPO) Disparities SIG Leadership Council. 


Nur Zeinomar, PhD, has been promoted to Assistant Professor, Division of Medical Oncology, Cancer Epidemiology and Health Outcomes, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey,

Past Presentations

Presentations at National and International Conferences

Evan Kovac, MD, CM, FRCSC, gave a presentation titled, “Pathologic Gleason Grade Group 1 in Black Men - "Implications for Renaming it “Not Cancer” in High-Risk Populations” at the American Urological Association (AUA) Annual Meeting 2022 in New Orleans, Louisiana on May 13-16, 2022.


Zhaomeng Nui, PhD, Research Associate II of Behavioral Sciences, gave a presentation titled, "Digital Educational Strategies to Teach Skin Self-Examination Among Individuals at Risk for Skin Cancer"  at the International Communication Association in Paris, France on May 16-17, 2022. 


Shawna Hudson, PhD, Professor and Chief, Research Division, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, gave a presentation titled, “Understanding Policy- and Payer-Level Stakeholders’ Priorities and Strategies for HPV Vaccination Implementation in Safety-Net Settings” at the Academy Health Annual Research Meeting in Washington, DC on June 4-7, 2022.


Denalee O'Malley, PhD, Assistant Professor for the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, gave a presentation titled, “Multi-level Interventions for the Diagnosis, Treatment and Prevention of Financial Toxicity” at the Association of Oncology Social Work in Raleigh, North Carolina on June 15-17, 2022.


Evan Kovac, MD, CM, FRCSC, gave a presentation titled, “Pathologic Gleason Grade Group 1 in Black Men - Implications for Renaming it “Not Cancer” in High-Risk Populations”  at the 77th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Urological Association in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada on June 24-27, 2022


Shawna Hudson, PhD, gave a presentation titled, "Intersections of Community Health, Primary Care, and Specialty Care"  at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine: Advancing Progress in Cancer Prevention and Risk Reduction in Washington D.C. on June 27-28, 2022.

Past Program Events
CPC Program Monthly Meeting

September 20, 2022


Ethan A. Halm, MD, MPH, MBA

Vice Chancellor for Population Health

Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences,

Deputy Chief Population Health Officer

Robert Wood Johnson Barnabas Health System


Population Health Approaches to Improving Cancer Screening: Harnessing the EMR for Observational & Interventional Research”

July 19, 2022


Antoinette (Nan) Stroup, PhD

Professor of Epidemiology

Department of Biostatistics & Epidemiology

Rutgers School of Public Health

Director, New Jersey State Cancer Registry

Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey



"Novel Surveillance Approaches to Health Disparities"

June 21, 2022


Login S. George, PhD

Assistant Professor, Institute for Health

Rutgers Health Care Policy and Aging Research

School of Nursing


“Patient and Clinician Psychology and Healthcare Utilization at the End-of-Life”

 

&


Biren Saraiya, MD

Associate Professor, Division of Medical Oncology

Department of Medicine

Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

 

"Understanding the Mechanism of Action of Palliative Care"


CINJ Dissemination and Implementation Working Group

September 1, 2022. Andrea Villanti, PhD, MPH presented a WIP on her grant titled, "Impact of Integrating Vaping Prevention at the State-Level."


Bidirectional Community Engagement

September 6, 2022. Research Science Café. Hari S. Iyer, ScD, MPH - "A conversation geared towards CINJ's efforts on bi-directional communication with community members on Prostate Cancer." 

More to Know

Rutgers Youth Enjoy Science (RUYES) Program 

August 29, 2022


Celine Duncan, an intern in Cancer Epidemiology (primary mentor: Dr. Nur Zeinomar) from the RUYES Program, presented a poster titled “Feasibility of Collecting Fecal Samples in a Cohort of Black and Hispanic Breast Cancer Survivors: A Pilot Study” coauthored by Bo Qin, PhD, Elisa V. Bandera MD, PhD, and Nur Zeinomar, PhD, MPH.

Natalia Czepielewski, an intern in the Section of Behavioral Sciences (primary mentor: Dr. Sharon Manne) from the RUYES Program, presented a research poster titled, "The Empowered Survivor Trial." 

Richard George, an intern from the RUYES Program, presented a research poster titled, "Social Media Promotion of Sun Safety Behaviors by Messaging Framing: Effectiveness and New Directions" coauthored by Richard George, Carolyn Heckman, PhD, Zhaomeng Niu, PhD, and Anna Mitarotondo. 

Gabriella Gonzalez, undergraduate in Psychology at Rutgers University (primary mentor: Dr. Angela Fong) from the RUYES Program, presented a poster titled "Participant Experiences in Breast Cancer and Resistance Exercise Program (B-REP)."

Christabel Otoo, an intern in Cancer Epidemiology (primary mentor: Dr. Bonnie Qin) from the RUYES Program, presented a research poster titled, “Sleep Disturbance Among Black Breast Cancer Survivors” coauthored by Nur Zeinomar, PhD, MPH, Carola T. Sánchez Díaz, PhD, Elisa V. Bandera, PhD MD, and Bo Qin, PhD.

Emily Zhivotovski, an intern in the Section of Behavior Sciences (primary mentor: Dr. Sharon Manne) from the RUYES Program, presented a research poster titled "Sun Safe Families: A parent-targeted social media delivered intervention." 

Media Coverage

Reflections for Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month


Yonaira Rivera, PhD, Assistant Professor, Health Communication, School of Communication and Information, was featured in Rutgers Today sharing reflections on her identity, the complexities of diaspora and some of the most pressing issues facing those within it. For more information on "Reducing Health Inequities and Improving the Well-being of Latinx Communities," click here to learn more.

A Ban on Menthol Cigarettes Is a Step Toward Health Equity and Social Justice

 

Cristine Delnevo, PhD, MPH (Director, Center for Tobacco Studies, Professor, Department of Health Behavior, Society and Policy Rutgers School of Public Health) and colleagues’ work was cited in "Why Banning Menthol Cigarettes Is a Social Justice Issue”, click here to learn more.

RU Tobacco Free

 

Supported by the American Cancer Society, the Truth Initiative, and the New Jersey Prevention Network, Kevin Schroth, JD, Michelle Kennedy, and their team developed a policy change initiative at Rutgers University. The effort advocated for a 100% tobacco-free University, in all places, in all times, and by all individuals.

 

Activities to facilitate policy change included creating a university-wide taskforce, training student outreach staff, and surveying all students, faculty, and staff about tobacco use behavior and policy support. In November 2021, the University Senate voted in favor of a 100% tobacco-free policy, and President Holloway announced that he supports such a policy, which would protect the health of over 66,000 students and over 23,000 employees in New Jersey.


For more information, click https://www.rutgers.edu/news/rutgers-be-tobacco-free-2023.


Cancer Prevention and Outcomes Data Support Shared Resource


The Cancer Prevention and Outcomes Data Support (CPODS) Shared Resource works with members to provide expertise and technical support in the following areas:


1. Participant Recruitment and Tracking

  • Assistance with the identification of target sample populations and cases
  • Participant recruitment (via mail, email, SMS, web-based, in-person)
  • Bilingual staff are available for the recruitment of Spanish-speaking participants
  • Customizable study databases for tracking of participant recruitment and retention

 

2. Survey Data Collection and Management

  • Electronic data collection (e.g., mobile and online surveys)
  • Paper survey design and automated scanning to facilitate data entry and processing
  • Coordination of translation of surveys and multi-lingual data collection

 

3. Qualitative Data Collection, Management, and Analysis

  • In-person, telephone, or web-based data collection of focus groups, key informants, and depth interviews
  • Coordination of translation and transcription of audio recordings
  • Qualitative coding, preparation of themes, and analysis using Atlas software


For more information and to discuss your project needs, please reach out to Carolina LozadaShared Resource Manager at cpods@cinj.rutgers.edu.


Community Outreach and Engagement

Rapid Grant/Protocol Review


Community Outreach and Engagement (COE) is fully committed to supporting research efforts at Rutgers Cancer Institute and across the state of New Jersey. We focus on reducing cancer health disparities by fostering basic, clinical, and population cancer research that is relevant to our catchment area.

COE offers many catchment area, outreach and data-related support services, including, but not limited to:

  • Cancer Registry Data (Rutgers Cancer Institute and RWJBarnabas affiliates)
  • Catchment Area Data Requests (New Jersey)
  • Rapid Grant/Protocol Review by Citizen Scientists (Community Engagement Café)
  • Assistance with Study Recruitment
  • Identifying Study Sites
  • Educational Workshops and Training
  • Connecting Communities with Research Advisory Boards
  • Dissemination Strategies


COE - Rapid Grant/Protocol Review by Citizen Scientists Community Engagement Café

Employment Opportunities


Postdoctoral Fellow


Research Teaching Specialist III (Data Analyst)


Research Teaching Specialist V


Research Teaching Specialist V (Research Assistant)

Acknowledging Cancer Center Support Grant (CCSG) in Publications

Please acknowledge the Cancer Center Support Grant (CCSG) in publications that resulted from any CCSG support such as: Pilot Award/New Investigator funds, use of Office of Human Research Services (OHRS), and/or use of any supported CPODS. Publications that acknowledge the CCSG must comply with the NIH Public Access Policy

Publications


For a full list of recent manuscripts, abstracts, and presentations, please visit the Researcher Profiles webpage.

News to share? We invite you to send your news and updates to be considered for publication in an upcoming issue of The CPC Newsletter.



Please note: All news items must adhere to Rutgers editorial guidelines and Associated Press style; accepted submissions may be edited in accordance with those guidelines. If you also have an accompanying photo you would like to be considered, please submit a high-resolution, print-quality image that is 300 dpi. Email submissions to cpc_program@cinj.rutgers.edu.

Visit the CPC Program Page

Chief Editors: Drs. Elisa Bandera and Carolyn Heckman

Associate Editor & Production Manager: LaTasha Maloney

Copy Editors: Vanessa Johnson and Susan Fenker