“It is an honor to help bring to life the Banga’s vision of a health care system where everyone can experience high-quality care,” said Dr. Lola Brown, associate dean of research and assistant professor of research education in anesthesiology at Weill Cornell Medicine. “This year’s awardees are making important contributions to improve the health of all.”
Three of the awardees are tackling disparities in cancer care, which is critical considering more than 2 million new cases of cancer will be diagnosed in the U.S. this year alone. “The Meyer Cancer Center was pleased to provide supplemental funding to these important awards, which further our mission of expanding research-driven clinical care to all patients,” said Dr. Julie Boyer, executive director of administration and strategy at the Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center and associate research professor of molecular biology in medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine.
Here, we introduce this year’s winners and their research:
Dr. Nitya Gulati, John D. and Lili R. Bussel Assistant Professor in Pediatric Hematology, member of the Meyer Cancer Center
Investigating the Biological Factors Behind Racial and Ethnic Differences in Tumor Microenvironment and Clinical Outcomes in Pediatric Hodgkin Lymphoma
Dr. Gulati’s research is addressing the disparate outcomes in pediatric Hodgkin lymphoma, the third most common cancer in children and adolescents. While current therapies have achieved a five-year overall survival rate for approximately 90% of patients, Black and Hispanic children consistently face worse outcomes compared with non-Hispanic white children. This includes higher relapse rates, increased post-relapse mortality and lower overall survival rates. Many reasons may account for these differences, such as variations in tumor biology and patient immunity, but they remain unexplored within pediatric populations.
"I’m honored to receive the Ritu Banga Healthcare Disparities Research Award, which will allow me to investigate how differences in the tumor microenvironment may contribute to racial and ethnic disparities in outcomes for children with Hodgkin lymphoma,” Dr. Gulati said. The tumor microenvironment (TME), a complex network of stromal and immune cells surrounding the tumor, plays a critical role in cancer progression, treatment response and may contribute to disparities between different populations.
Dr. Gulati will profile pediatric Hodgkin lymphoma samples from a diverse biobank, using advanced spatial molecular imaging, self-identified race and ethnicity and genetic ancestry. The findings may guide the development of personalized treatments that can improve outcomes for all children.
Dr. Jialin Mao, assistant professor of population health sciences, member of the Meyer Cancer Center
Barriers to Accessing High-quality Surgical Cancer Care among Gastrointestinal Cancer Patients from High-poverty Areas in New York City
Dr. Mao is investigating why individuals residing in high-poverty areas (HPAs), communities where greater than 20% of residents live below federal poverty, have up to 30% higher cancer mortality than those residing in low-poverty areas. Previous research suggests that patients from HPAs likely face systematic barriers to accessing high-quality cancer care.
Focusing on gastrointestinal cancers, Dr. Mao will conduct a qualitative study based on interviews with patients from HPAs and their providers to identify patient-perceived and provider-perceived barriers to accessing high-quality surgical cancer care. The study will be shaped by the five dimensions of access (approachability, acceptability, availability and accommodation, affordability and appropriateness).
Findings from this study will guide local policies and health system operations to improve cancer care access for underserved populations. This may also lead to larger-scale studies to develop, implement and evaluate interventions to reduce cancer health disparities.
“For me, as a public health/health equity researcher, this award is recognition and encouragement for my research,” Dr. Mao said. “This is an important step toward uplifting those with disadvantaged backgrounds, eliminating barriers to care and achieving better health for all.”
Dr. Yiwey Shieh, assistant professor of population health sciences, member of the Meyer Cancer Center
Determinants of Prognosis in Lung Cancers Affecting Never-Smokers: A Comprehensive Analysis of Meyer Cancer Center Patients
Dr. Shieh is studying the relationship between tumor mutation status and prognosis of lung cancer in never smokers. Lung cancer in individuals who have never smoked is a leading cause of cancer mortality and disproportionately affects women and people of East Asian and Hispanic descent. It also has a high probability to recur and metastasize to the brain.
Dr. Shieh and his team will analyze data from more than 9,000 patients from the newly established Meyer Cancer Center Molecularly Enhanced Lung Cancer Database (MCC-MELD) to better understand how smoking status, tumor mutations and the built environment affect lung cancer prognosis. They will use this information to build a computational model that can predict recurrence and may guide surveillance and treatment.
Another aspect of this research will examine the associations of area-level social determinants of health—such as pollution, health care accessibility and acculturation—with survival. The findings may provide insights into how these factors can be modified to improve prognosis.
“The award gives us the opportunity to use MCC-MELD to improve the quality and equity of care for our patients and to improve lung cancer prognosis for all populations,” Dr. Shieh said. “This work brings together physicians and researchers from many disciplines across Weill Cornell and seeks to learn from our diverse population of lung cancer patients from Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens.”
Dr. Alpana Shukla, associate professor of research in medicine
A food order-based dietary intervention to prevent type 2 diabetes (T2D) in postpartum Indian
women with prior gestational diabetes living in urban slum communities
Dr. Shukla’s research seeks to help women in India who have a history of gestational diabetes and are at high risk to develop type 2 diabetes within one year after giving birth. Unlike in high-income countries where weight loss is the cornerstone of type 2 diabetes prevention, 60% of Indian individuals with this chronic disease are not overweight.
Taking another approach, she is testing a behavioral intervention to treat diabetes that focuses on consuming fibrous vegetables and protein before carbohydrate-rich foods. This has shown promising outcomes in reducing glucose spikes and glycemic variability after meals in U.S.- based populations with type 2 diabetes and prediabetes.
Controlling food order enhances secretion of GLP-1, a naturally occurring hormone in the body that helps regulate blood sugar and appetite. It also leads to lower insulin secretion into the blood, which reduces stress on pancreatic β-cells, offering a potential avenue for diabetes prevention.
This study will evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of a culturally tailored food order intervention among postpartum women with prior gestational diabetes living in urban slum communities of Pune, India. Dr. Shukla will be working with co-investigators Dr. Jyoti Mathad, associate professor of medicine in obstetrics and gynecology, and Dr. Radhika Sundararajan, associate professor of emergency medicine, at Weill Cornell Medicine, who already have an ongoing National Institutes of Health cohort study to establish an evidence-based, culturally adaptable intervention to prevent diabetes in high-risk postpartum populations.
“I am thrilled to receive this award to help one of the highest-risk groups for the development of diabetes,” said Dr. Shukla. “My collaborators and I are excited for the opportunity to make a significant impact on women's health through a simple, scalable intervention that can be applied universally.”
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