In This Section

2023 Minority Scholar in Cancer Research Awardees

The AACR is very pleased to administer this important program, which provides funds for the participation of early-career, meritorious minority scientists at the AACR Annual Meeting 2023. Scholars are chosen from both minority institutions and the larger bodies of universities, colleges, and research institutes. They are selected on the basis of their qualifications, references from mentors, and an estimation of the potential professional benefit to the awardees.  

Since its founding in 1985, the Minority Scholar Awards in Cancer Research program has been supported by a generous grant of 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.  

For 38 years, the AACR has endeavored through this program to reach out to minority predoctoral and postdoctoral students, trainees, and junior investigators as future cancer researchers. The program was created in an attempt to address the serious problem of lack of minority participation in cancer research by offering young minority students and trainees the opportunity to attend and participate in the Annual Meetings and Special Conferences of the AACR.  

The AACR would also like to thank Merck and Change the Future Fund for providing additional funding to support young minority investigators. 

Salvador Alejo

Salvador Alejo

University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
San Antonio, Texas

Nelly A. Arroyo

Nelly A. Arroyo

Ponce Health Sciences University
Ponce, Puerto Rico

Crystal Byrd

Crystal Byrd

Clark Atlanta University
Atlanta, Georgia

Alexis E. Carey

Alexis E. Carey

Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, Maryland

Courtney D. Dill

Courtney D. Dill

National Cancer Institute
Rockville, Maryland

Edward J. Evans Jr.

Edward J. Evans Jr.

University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus
Aurora, Colorado

Matthew E. Fernandez

Matthew E. Fernandez

Virginia Commonwealth University
Richmond, Virginia

Esther K. Frimpong

Esther K. Frimpong

Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
Tallahassee, Florida

 J. Alberto Maldonado

 J. Alberto Maldonado

National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health
Bethesda, Maryland

Mauricio A. Marquez Palencia

Mauricio A. Marquez Palencia

UT Southwestern Medical Center,
Dallas, Texas

Pedro T. Ochoa

Pedro T. Ochoa

Loma Linda University
Loma Linda, California

Afia P. Ohemeng

Afia P. Ohemeng

Florida A&M University
Tallahassee, Florida

Dakota D. Okwuone

Dakota D. Okwuone

University of Kansas Medical Center
Kansas City, Kansas

Greisha L. Ortiz-Hernandez

Greisha L. Ortiz-Hernandez

City of Hope
Duarte, California

Dominique V. Parker

Dominique V. Parker

Vanderbilt University
Nashville, Tennessee

Mabel G. Perez-Oquendo

Mabel G. Perez-Oquendo

MD Anderson Cancer Center
Houston, Texas

Adeiye Pilgrim

Adeiye Pilgrim

Emory University School of Medicine
Atlanta, Georgia

Alexis R. Ramos

Alexis R. Ramos

University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa

 Evelyn S. Sanchez Hernandez

 Evelyn S. Sanchez Hernandez

Loma Linda University
Loma Linda, California

Harmony I. Saunders

Harmony I. Saunders

University of Kansas
Kansas City, Kansas

Jordan Winfield

Jordan Winfield

University of Texas at El Paso
El Paso, Texas