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2022 Minority and Minority-serving Institution Faculty Scholar in Cancer Research Awardees

The AACR is very pleased to administer this important program, which provides funds for the participation of full-time minority faculty members and faculty members of Minority-Serving Institutions (MSI) at the AACR Annual Meeting 2022. Recipients of this award are scientists who are working at the level of assistant professor or above who are engaged in meritorious basic, clinical, or translational cancer research. 

Now in its 25th year, this award program has been supported by a generous grant provided by the National Cancer Institute’s Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities. The Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities (CRCHD) works to increase the number of underrepresented minorities participating as competitive NCI/ NIH-funded cancer researchers. The Board of Directors of the AACR expresses its appreciation to the CRCHD for its long-term and generous support of faculty members and congratulations to the Minority and Minority-Serving Institution Faculty awardees. 

The names and affiliations of the 2022 Minority and Minority-Serving Institution Faculty Scholars are listed below, along with the numbers and titles of their presentations.

Congratulations 2022 Minority and Minority-serving Institution Faculty Scholar in Cancer Research Awardees!

Mario Andres Blanco, PhD

Mario Andres Blanco, PhD

Assistant Professor
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Matias A. Bustos, PhD

Matias A. Bustos, PhD

Assistant Professor
St. John’s Cancer Institute
Santa Monica, California

Alberto J. Caban-Martinez, PhD, DO, MPH

Alberto J. Caban-Martinez, PhD, DO, MPH

Associate Professor
University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
Coral Gables, Florida

Janai R. Carr-Ascher, PhD

Janai R. Carr-Ascher, PhD

Assistant Professor
St. John’s Cancer Institute, University of California-Davis
Davis, California

Valery A. Chavez, PhD

Valery A. Chavez, PhD

Assistant Scientist
University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center
Miami, Florida

Sue Anne Chew, PhD

Sue Anne Chew, PhD

Assistant Professor
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Brownsville, Texas

Jayanta Kumar Das, PhD

Jayanta Kumar Das, PhD

Assistant Professor of Biology
Florida Memorial University
Miami Gardens, Florida

Yamixa Delgado, PhD

Yamixa Delgado, PhD

Assistant Professor
San Juan Bautista School of Medicine
Caguas, Puerto Rico

Carlos Joel Diaz Osterman, PhD

Carlos Joel Diaz Osterman, PhD

Assistant Professor
Ponce Health Sciences University
Ponce, Puerto Rico

Jorge Gomez-Gutierrez, PhD

Jorge Gomez-Gutierrez, PhD

Associate Professor
University of Missouri-Columbia
Columbia, Missouri

Maria Gonzalez-Pons, PhD

Maria Gonzalez-Pons, PhD

Assistant Professor
University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus
San Juan, Puerto Rico

Sonia L. Hernandez, PhD, MPhil, RD

Sonia L. Hernandez, PhD, MPhil, RD

Research Associate Professor
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

Tyvette Hillard, PhD

Tyvette Hillard, PhD

Research Assistant Professor
Harper Cancer Research Institute
South Bend, Indiana

Tatiana Hurtado de Mendoza, PhD

Tatiana Hurtado de Mendoza, PhD

Assistant Research Scientist
UCSD Moores Cancer Center
La Jolla, California

Jessica Y. Islam, PhD, MPH

Jessica Y. Islam, PhD, MPH

Assistant Professor
Moffitt Cancer Center
Tampa, Florida

Eunkyung Lee, PhD

Eunkyung Lee, PhD

Assistant Professor
University of Central Florida
Orlando, Florida

Daniel F. Liefwalker, PhD

Daniel F. Liefwalker, PhD

Research Assistant Professor
Oregon Health and Science University
Portland, Oregon

Justin Xavier Moore, PhD

Justin Xavier Moore, PhD

Assistant Professor
Augusta University
Augusta, Georgia

Sara Pedron, PhD

Sara Pedron, PhD

Research Assistant Professor
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Urbana, Illinois. 

Sangeetha Prabhakaran, MD

Sangeetha Prabhakaran, MD

Assistant Professor of Surgery
University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, New Mexico

Luisel J. Ricks-Santi, PhD

Luisel J. Ricks-Santi, PhD

Associate Professor
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

Maria D. Sanchez-Pino, PhD

Maria D. Sanchez-Pino, PhD

Assistant Professor
Louisiana State University Stanley S. Scott Cancer Center
New Orleans, Louisiana

Francisco Sanchez-Vega, PhD, M Eng

Francisco Sanchez-Vega, PhD, M Eng

Assistant Attending Computational Oncologist
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
New York, New York

Lisa Scarton, PhD, RN

Lisa Scarton, PhD, RN

Assistant Professor
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

Athena Starland-Davenport, PhD

Athena Starland-Davenport, PhD

Associate Professor
University of Tennessee Health Science Center
Memphis, Tennessee

Justin Taylor, MD

Justin Taylor, MD

Assistant Professor
University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center
Miami, Florida

Juli J. Unternaehrer, PhD

Juli J. Unternaehrer, PhD

Assistant Professor
Loma Linda University
Loma Linda, California

Enrique Velazquez-Villarreal, MD, PhD, MPH, MS

Enrique Velazquez-Villarreal, MD, PhD, MPH, MS

Assistant Professor
Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California

Mariano S. Viapiano, PhD

Mariano S. Viapiano, PhD

Associate Professor
SUNY Upstate Medical University
Syracuse, New York