Students from two historically Black educational institutions in Mississippi – Jackson State University and Tougaloo College – participated in a 10-week program this summer involving prostate cancer research at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. The Mississippi Prostate Cancer Historically Black Colleges and Universities Undergraduate Training Program was funded by a $185,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Defense.
Three interns from each college participated in the program that included hands-on research with faculty mentors. Each student received a $6,000 stipend.
“We are very glad to offer this kind of program to students in this area,” said Dr. Kounosuke Watabe, Cancer Institute deputy director for basic research and principal investigator with the grant. “We hope that in the future, many of these students will become cancer researchers. It is very important that young people get into this research field.”