The Synergistic Partnership for Enhancing Equity in Cancer Health

(SPEECH) is a comprehensive regional cancer health disparity partnership between Temple University/Fox Chase Cancer Center and Hunter College (TUFCCC/HC), the U54 grant funded by the National Cancer Institute. The purpose of SPEECH is to reduce cancer health disparities among underserved minority populations in Pennsylvania-New Jersey-New York City (PNN) region, through cancer disparities research, community outreach, and career development for underrepresented early stage investigators and students.

Learn more

Targeted Geographic Areas

Pennsylvania
New Jersey
New York City

Target Populations

Underserved African Americans
Asian Pacific Americans
Hispanic Americans

Partnership Cores

Administrative
Planning and Evaluation
Research Education
Community Outreach
Biostatistics and Bioinformatics

Research Projects

Full Project (Liver Cancer)
Full Project (Lung Cancer)
Pilot Project (Colon Cancer)
Pre-Pilot Projects
Pilot Projects

UPCOMING EVENTS AND PROGRAMS

Events

The 5th Annual SPEECH Conference will be held in-person on May 18, 2023 at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA!

To register to attend, click here.
For more information, click here to visit the full page.

Programs

Summer Cancer Research Institute (SCRI): June 5 – July 28, 2023

The SCRI program is an 8-week intensive summer program supported by the National Cancer Institute U54 grants (CA221704 and CA221705; Contact PIs: Drs. Ma and Ogunwobi) to Temple University/Fox Chase Cancer Center and Hunter College. Undergraduate and Graduate students interested in pursuing biomedical, clinical & population-based cancer research are welcome to apply. We encourage applications from students of all backgrounds, particularly those from underrepresented minority groups or disadvantaged backgrounds.

For more information, visit our SCRI Page.

Newsletter

The latest edition of the Research Education Core Newsletter for Spring 2023 has been published. To read more about the accomplishments of our mentors and trainees, and to find our Newsletter Archives, click here!

Recent News

AATS Features Q&A with Dr. Cherie Erkmen in Its June 2020 Newsletter: The American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) profiled Cherie P. Erkmen, MD, Professor of Thoracic Medicine and Surgery and in the Center for Asian Health at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University and Director of the Lung Cancer Screening Program and the Thoracic Surgery Residency Program at Temple University Hospital, in its June 2020 issue of AATS Update. Dr. Erkmen was recently inducted into the AATS, and the organization featured her Q&A in its newsletter | June 2020

Dr. Ming-Chin Yeh is featured in the National Minority Health Month Spotlight – NCI Website

Dr. Grace X. Ma featured in NIMHD’s social campaign to honor history makers in minority health and health disparities (MHHD) research during Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage month – Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter Posts

Making Progress: First SPEECH Conference Held at Temple – Temple Health News Digest – JULY 2019

Drs. Grace Ma and Lin Zhu Lead Culturally Tailored Intervention to Improve HPV Screening in Asian-American Women – 12th AACR Conference on The Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved

View all

HIGHLIGHTS/ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Congratulations to our SPEECH trainees who received awards for the AACR Conference on The Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved, held between September 20-23 2019 in San Francisco, CA!

AACR Minority Scholar in Cancer Research Awardees:

Lin Zhu, PhD (Mentor: Dr. Grace X. Ma)
Gargi Pal, PhD (Mentor: Dr. Olorunseun O. Ogunwobi)
Michelle Naidoo, PhD(c) (Mentor: Dr. Olorunseun O. Ogunwobi)

AACR GMAP Region Four Travel Awardees:

Cicely Johnson, PhD (Mentor: Dr. Olorunseun O. Ogunwobi)
Aisha Bhimla, PhD(c) (Mentor: Dr. Grace X. Ma)
Lin Zhu, PhD (Mentor: Dr. Grace X. Ma)
Gargi Pal, PhD (Mentor: Dr. Olorunseun O. Ogunwobi)
Michelle Naidoo, PhD(c) (Mentor: Dr. Olorunseun O. Ogunwobi)

View all