In 2024, 15 Latina cancer survivors from across the US and beyond met for the first-ever Latino Cancer Patient Advocate Training Program to become cancer patient leaders.
Since then, the survivors-turned-patient leaders, like Marielle Santos McLeod and Andrea Suarez Vargas have been sharing their stories to help cancer patients, elevate their voices among decision-makers, and create new research opportunities for Latinos and all people.
However, there is still more work to do.
On the heels of the first training, program creators Dr. Barbara Segarra-Vázquez of the University of Puerto Rico and Sandi Stanford of the Alamo Breast Cancer Foundation turned around to do it again.
This time the pair welcomed 16 new Latino cancer survivors to participate in the second cohort of Latino Cancer ...
Starting April 1, 2026, Texas recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will have new food purchase restrictions, including no candy and sugary drinks. These changes were made to comply with Senate Bull 379, which passed in June 2025 and is one of three bills under Texas’ “Make America Healthy Again” initiative, prohibiting the use of SNAP benefits to purchase less healthy foods and encouraging the purchase of more nutritious foods like fruits and vegetables. “In August 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service approved a healthy foods waiver that was submitted by Texas and allows the state to implement the SNAP limitations,” according to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. With this in mind, let’s dive ...
Dr. Rebecca Jones, assistant director of the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio, shared important community engagement strategies at the 2026 AACI Catchment Area Data Excellence (CADEx) Conference on March 9, 2026, in Atlanta. The event brought together National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center data experts, geospatial statisticians, and representatives from government and industry to address emerging topics in cancer prevention and control analytics. Jones was part of a panel that explored how to use catchment-area data to improve access and outcomes. "Panelists discussed how data inform their choices, focusing on the importance of community engagement for understanding where barriers exist and how access can be improved. Listening sessions ...
Durante los últimos años, Los Hispanos/Latinos que viven en el Sur de Texas han compartido sus historias de cáncer con el equipo del estudio de cohorte de supervivencia al Cáncer Hispano/Latino Avanzando Caminos Hispanic en UT Health San Antonio. Pero hasta ahora esas historias se limitaban a sobrevivientes de cáncer de próstata, colorrectal, pulmón, estómago, hígado, endometrio, mama, cuello uterino y riñón. Ahora es el momento de que los sobrevivientes de cáncer de vejiga, melanoma, ovario, tiroides y linfoma también compartan sus experiencias. El estudio Avanzando Caminos ahora está inscribiendo a participantes que hayan completado sus tratamientos primarios contra el cáncer para uno de los tipos de cáncer designados en los últimos 10 ...
The Institute for Integration of Medicine & Science (IIMS) at UT Health San Antonio is announcing its 16th Annual Frontiers of Translational Science Research Day on Monday April 27, 2026. In celebration, the institute is calling for abstracts for posters from researchers that demonstrate the power of translational science, which is the process of using research to develop interventions. Translational science aims to improve health and improve disease outcomes. Abstracts can highlight translational research projects that are complete or ongoing. Selected projects will join a poster session on the day of the event. submit an abstract HERE!
Participant Guidelines for Translational Science Research
The deadline for abstract submissions is Monday, April 6, 2026. If ...
The Institute for Integration of Medicine & Science (IIMS) and the College for Health, Community, and Policy (HCaP) at UT San Antonio wants to fund a new batch of one-year Community Engagement Small Project Grants. The grants aim to help promote, develop, and expand community- academic research partnerships for the translation of science from basic discovery to clinical practice, to that benefit public health, according to the 2026 funding announcement. Last year’s grants enabled seven teams of researchers to translate scientific findings to benefit public health in San Antonio. These projects covered topics such as gun violence prevention, neurofeedback and childhood creativity, environmental lead hazards, and more. Now your team could be the next ones to ...
For the last several years, instances of colorectal cancer have been on the rise in the US, especially in younger populations. As cases rise, so too does the number of deaths caused by colorectal cancer. American Cancer Society (ACS) researchers recently found that colorectal cancer moralities have risen by at least 1.1% in people younger than 50 every year since 2005. What’s more, a sharp decrease in other cancer mortalities has placed colorectal cancer as the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among people young than 50 in the US, according to an ACS study in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). Let’s go over the study findings and learn why colorectal cancer moralities have increased.
Study Findings on Colorectal Cancer
For the ...
Cancer remains a large health threat in South Texas and beyond. To improve cancer understanding and outcomes, Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez of Salud America! and UT Health San Antonio hosted the 5th biennial Advancing Cancer Research for Latinos and All Populations conference on Feb. 18-20, 2026, at the Plaza San Antonio in San Antonio, Texas. Advancing Cancer Research for Latinos and All Populations drew over 300 researchers, doctors, leaders, and students for an open dialogue on cancer. Discussion covered new studies in clinical best practices, treatments, effective community interventions, advocacy, policy, and professional training in cancer research. "We still have work to do, but I am excited and proud to charge into the future with such a passionate group of people for ...
When it comes to making an impact in research, communication is key! But not everyone has the right tools to effectively communicate research into solutions that can drive health outcomes for adults living with Alzheimer’s and related dementias. The University of Maryland School of Graduate Studies wants to close the knowledge gaps in research communication by offering a program to doctoral students and postdoctoral scholars with backgrounds in aging and aging-related research. The Entrepreneurship and Science Communication for Aging and Aging-Related Research (ESCAAR) program aims to improve aging-focused research communication with a cohort of trainees for a 10-month program. Let’s discuss how the ESCAAR program, supported by the National Institute on Aging ...
