Grants & Funding
- Pre-Award Services
- Grant Preparation Support
- Pilot Grant Awardees
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Pilot Grant Awardees - Curebound, ACS-IRG, CCSG, Gleiberman HNC Grant
Curebound/Padres Pedal the Cause Grants
2022
Spring 2022
Curebound Discovery
Project 1
"Understanding the biological and clinical role of ecDNA in neuroblastoma"
Ludmil Alexandrov, PhD (MCC)
Peter Zage, MD, PhD (Rady Children's)
Project 2
"Decoding the Role of the Long Non-Coding RNA PVT1 in Medulloblastoma"
Anindya Bagachi, PhD (SBP)
Lucas Chavez, PhD (SBP)
Project 3
"Therapeutics to overcome the differentiation roadblock in Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS)"
Michael Bollong, PhD (The Scripps Research Institute)
Rafael Bejar, MD, PhD (MCC)
Arnab Chatterjee, PhD (The Scripps Research Institute)
Project 4
"Pre-clinical development of new autophagy targeting drugs for bone metastatic prostate cancer"
Nicholas Cosford, PhD (SBP)
Christina Jamieson, PhD, PhD (MCC)
Project 5
"Role of histidine phosphorylation in breast cancer invasion"
Tony Hunter, PhD (Salk)
Jing Yang, PhD (MCC)
Kay Yeung, MD, PhD (MCC)
Project 6
"High throughput-screen for inhibitors of pediatric ependymoma"
Michael Jackson, PhD (Scripps)
Lukas Chavez, PhD (SBP)
Project 7
"Targeting tumor-associated macrophages to improve immunotherapy in neuroblastoma"
Shweta Joshi, PhD (Rady)
Judith Varner, PhD (MCC)
Project 8
"Targeting metabolic vulnerabilities unique to pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma"
Michael Karin, PhD (MCC)
Reuben Shaw, PhD (Salk)
Project 9
"Determining the impact of regulatory mutations and dysregulated transcription factors in neuroblastoma"
Graham McVicker, PhD (Salk)
Peter Zage, MD, PhD (MCC)
Project 10
"HERV env: A Targetable Surface Protein in Ovarian Cancer"
Erica Saphire, PhD (LJI)
David Schlaepfer, PhD (MCC)
Project 11
"Development and optimization of peptide-based nanoparticle NeoAg cancer vaccines"
Stephen Schoenberger, PhD (LJI)
Ezra Cohen, MD (MCC)
Aaron Miller, MD, PhD (MCC)
Project 12
"Neoantigen driven eradication of immune-reprogrammed ovarian cancer"
Dwayne Stupack, PhD (MCC)
Stephen Schoenberger, PhD (LJI)
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Fall 2022
Curebound Cure Prize
Project 1
"Screening for Ovarian Cancer with Advanced Diffusion MRI in Patients at High Risk for Ovarian Cancer"
Rebecca Rakow-Penner, MD, PhD (MCC)
Anders Dale, PhD (MCC)
Michael McHale, MD (MCC)
Curebound Targeted Grant
Project 1
"Clinical Strategizing of PARP Inhibitors in Castration Resistant Prostate Cancer"
Ludmil Alexandrov, PhD (MCC)
Ludmil Alexandrov, PhD (MCC)
Rana McKay, MD (MCC)
Project 2
"Advancing Immune Checkpoint Inhibition of PSGL-1 for Treatment of Malignant Melanoma"
Linda M. Bradley, PhD (SBP)
Soo Jin Park, MD (MCC)
Project 3
"Targeting the Proteostasis Network in Acute Myeloid Leukemia"
Robert Signer, PhD (MCC)
Kentson Lam, MD, PhD (MCC)
Project 4
"Targeting PI3Ky to reverse immune suppression in lung cancer"
Judith A. Varner, PhD (MCC)
Mark Onaitis, MD (MCC)
Sandip Patel, MD, PhD (MCC)
2021
Spring 2021
MCC-C3
Project 1
"Crosstalk between EMT and immune cells in breast cancer immunotherapy resistance"
Jing Yang, PhD (MCC)
Daniel Hollern, PhD (Salk)
Project 2
"Identifying inhibitors of the feedback suppression of immune regulator signaling as novel cancer therapeutics"
Dong-Er Zhang, PhD (MCC)
Michael Jackson, PhD (SBP)
MCC-Rady
Project 1
"Tissue-resident memory cells in pediatric high-grade gliomas"
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Anusha Preethi Ganesan, PhD (Rady Childrens)
P. Vijayanand, PhD (MCC, LJI)
Project 2
"Stem cell proteostatis disruption in ribosomopathy-associated bone marrow failure and cancer"
Robert Signer, PhD (MCC)
Nicholas Gloude, MD (Rady Children's)
Helena Yu, MD (Rady Children's)
Project 3
"Evaluation of a technology assisted intervention for tailoring oncofertility care in female cancer survivors: a pilot cluster randomized controlled trial"
Irene Su, MD (MCC)
Paula Aristizabal, MD (Rady Children's)
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Winter 2021
MCC Clinical Trial
Project 1
"A Phase 2 Study of Neoadjuvant PARP Inhibition followed by Radical Prostatectomy in Pateitns with Unfavorable Intermediate-Risk or High-Risk Prostate Cancer with BRCA1/2 Gene Alterations (NePtUne)"
Rana McKay, MD (MCC)
Aditya Bagrodia, MD (MCC)
Tyler Seibert, MD, PhD (MCC)
MCC Team Science
Project 1
"Hormone-Sensitive Cancer Risk, Detection, and Outcomes in Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Adults"
Jennifer Anger, MD, MPH (MCC)
Christina Jamieson, PhD (MCC)
Brent Rose, MD (MCC)
Project 2
"Pre-Cancer States and Drivers of Cell Transformation in the Gastrointestinal Tract"
Pradipta Ghosh, MD (MCC)
Debashis Sahoo, PhD (MCC)
Soumita Das, PhD (MCC)
2020
Spring 2020
MCC-C3
"Peptide Targeted Delivery of Epigenetic Therapies in Pancreatic Cancer"
Ronald M. Evans, PhD (Salk)
Gregory Botta, MD, PhD (MCC)
Project 2
"Precision Interception of Gastric Cancers"
Pradipta Ghosh, MD (MCC)
Michael Bouvet, MD (MCC)
Garth Powis, PhD (SBP)
Project 3
"Examination of inhibitors of the ULK1 autophagy kinase as therapeutics in NSCLC"
Hatim Husain, MD (MCC)
Nicholas Cosford, PhD (SBP)
Reuben Shaw, PhD (Salk)
Project 4
"Neoantigen-specific T cell responses in exceptional responders to immunotherapy in NSCLC"
Susan Kaech, PhD (Salk)
Stephen Schoenberger, PhD (LJI)
Sandip Patel, MD (MCC)
Project 5
"Defining the mechanisms of pancreatic cancer susceptibility in patient-derived organoid models"
Rebekah White, MD (MCC)
Dannielle Engle, PhD (Salk)
Hervé Tiriac, PhD (MCC)
MCC-Rady
Project 1
“A Pilot Trial to Test the Benefit of Real Time Drug Screening to Determine Individualized Treatment Plans for Children and Young Adults with Relapsed or Refractory Medulloblastoma”
John Crawford, MD (MCC/RCHSD)
Robert Wechsler-Reya, PhD (SBP)
Project 2
"Elucidating the Role of Syk Kinase and Syk Inhibitors Combined with Radiation Therapy in Neuroblastoma"
Shweta Joshi, PhD (MCC/RCHSD)
Andrew Sharabi, MD, PhD (MCC)
Project 3
"Improved Echocardiographic Diagnosis of Anthracycline-Related Cardiac Dysfunction Using Global Longitudinal Strain"
Hari Narayan, MD, MSCE (MCC/RCHSD)
Saro Armenian, DO, MPH (City of Hope)
Sun Choom, MD (MCC/RCHSD)
Project 4
"Novel Pathways Regulated by NME1 in Neuroblastoma"
Peter Zage, MD, PhD (MCC/RCHSD)
Tony Hunter, PhD (Salk)
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Fall 2020
MCC Clinical Trial
Project 1
"A National Phase I Study of Cabozantinib in Combination with 13-cis-Retinoic Acid in Children with Relapsed or Refractory Solid Tumors"
Peter Zage, MD, PhD (MCC/Rady)
MCC Team Science
Project 2
"UCSD-UCSF Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE) in Head and Neck Cancer"
Silvio Gutkind, PhD (MCC)
Joseph Califano, MD (MCC)
Ezra Cohen, MD (MCC)
Daniel Johnson, PhD (UCSF)
2019
Spring 2019
MCC-C3
Project 1
“Microbe-Associated Colorectal Cancer (M.A.C.S)”
Soumita Das, PhD (LJI)
Svasti Haricharan, PhD (SBP)
Abstract
Project 2
“Identification of regulatory programs for glioblastoma cellular hierarchy using single-cell multi-omic profiling”
Joseph Ecker, PhD (Salk)
Jeremy Rich MD, MHS, MBA (MCC)
Jesse Dixon, MD, PhD (Salk)
Abstract
Project 3
“Characterization of a GOLPH3 Pathway Inhibitor to Enable a Hit-to-Lead Grant to Develop a Novel Cancer Therapeutic”
Seth Field, MD, PhD (MCC)
Michael Jackson, MD, PhD (SBP)
Abstract
MCC-Rady
Project 1
“Detecting dysregulated genes in neuroblastoma using allele-specific expression”
Jennifer Elster, MD (Rady/MCC)
Graham McVicker, PhD (Salk)
Abstract
Project 2
“FEN1 Nuclease-Targeted Therapy for Ewing Sarcoma”
Jean Wang , PhD (MCC)
Richard Kolonder, PhD (Ludwig/MCC)
“FEN1 Nuclease-Targeted Therapy for Ewing Sarcoma”
Jean Wang , PhD (MCC)
Richard Kolonder, PhD (Ludwig/MCC)
Sun Choo, MD (Rady/MCC)
Abstract
Abstract
Project 3
“Functional Roles for Histidine Kinase Signaling in Neuroblastoma”
Peter Zage, MD, PhD (Rady/MCC)
Tony Hunter, PhD (Salk)
“Functional Roles for Histidine Kinase Signaling in Neuroblastoma”
Peter Zage, MD, PhD (Rady/MCC)
Tony Hunter, PhD (Salk)
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Fall 2019
MCC Clinical Trial
"A Phase 1B, Nonrandomized Trial Investigating Docetaxel Combined with Cirmtuzumab in Patients with Metastatic Castration Resistant Prostate Cancer"
Kellogg Parsons, MD (UCSD)
Team Science Award
Project 1
“Protein Kinase C as a Novel Biomarker and Target in Pancreatic Cancer”
Alexandra Newton, PhD (MCC)
Andrew Lowy, MD (MCC)
“Protein Kinase C as a Novel Biomarker and Target in Pancreatic Cancer”
Alexandra Newton, PhD (MCC)
Andrew Lowy, MD (MCC)
Project 2
“New Therapies for Myeloid Leukemia”
Tannishtha Reya, PhD (MCC)
Edward Ball, MD (MCC)
“New Therapies for Myeloid Leukemia”
Tannishtha Reya, PhD (MCC)
Edward Ball, MD (MCC)
Rafael Bejar, MD, PhD (MCC)
2018
Spring 2018
MCC-C3
Project 1
Linda Bradley, PhD (SBP)
Greg Daniels, MD, PhD (MCC)
Project 2
"Inducing cytosolic chromatin fragments in cancer cells to turn cold tumors hot"
"Inducing cytosolic chromatin fragments in cancer cells to turn cold tumors hot"
Jack Bui, MD, PhD (MCC)
Peter Adams, PhD (SBP)
Project 3
"Enhanced Breast Cancer Risk Prediction from Imputed Gene Expression"
Hannah Carter, PhD (MCC)
Graham McVicker, PhD (Salk)
Project 4
"Targeting fibroblast heterogeneity to improve surgical outcomes in pancreatic cancer"
Ronald M. Evans, PhD (Salk)
Michael Bouvet, PhD (MCC)
Project 5
"Targeting a Therapeutic Vulnerability in PTEN-Deficient Brain Tumors"
Frank Furnari, PhD (MCC)
Geoff Wahl, PhD (Salk)
Project 6
"Epigenetic Profiling of Endometrial Cancer"
Diana Hargreaves, PhD (Salk)
Ramez Eskander, MD (MCC)
Project 7
"Understanding and Targeting NRF2 in Pancreatic Cancer"
Michael Karin, PhD (MCC)
Andrew Lowy, MD (MCC)
Andrew Lowy, MD (MCC)
Jorge Moscat, PhD (SBP)
Project 8
"Natural Killer Cells for Treatment of Medulloblastoma"
Dan Kaufman, MD, PhD (MCC)
Robert Wechsler-Reya, PhD (SBP)
MCC-Rady
Project 1"Development and Implementation of a Peer-Navigation Intervention to Improve Research Literacy in Pediatric Cancer Trials"
Paula Aristizabal, MD (Rady Children's)
Elena Martinez, PhD (MCC)
Project 2
"A Novel Role for Histidine Kinase Activity in Neuroblastoma Pathogenesis"
Peter Zage, MD, PhD (Rady Children's)
Tony Hunter, PhD (Salk)
Project 3
"Transcriptomic and epigenomic profiling to reveal TIL and microglia functional phenotype and clonality in pediatric brain tumors"
Preethi Ganesan, MD (Rady Children's)
Pandurangan Vijayanand, MD, PhD (MCC, LJI)
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Fall 2018
MCC Clinical Trial
Project 1
"A Phase 1b Safety and Feasability Study of Personalized Immunotherapy in Adults with Advanced Cancers"
Ezra Cohen, MD (MCC)
Stephen Schoenberger, PhD (LJI)
Aaron Miller, MD, PhD (MCC)
Project 2
"Low Dose Chemotherapy for Immuno-activation in Lung Cancer"
Hatim Husain, MD (MCC)
Michael Karin, PhD (MCC)
Project 3
"Investigating the Efficacy of radium-223 with Olaparib in Men with Metastatic Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer"
Rana McKay, MD (MCC)
Christina Jamieson, PhD (MCC)
Project 4
"A Phase 1b pilot clinical trial of cirmtuzumab, an anti-ROR1 monoclonal antibody, in combination with paclitaxel for the treatment of patients with metastatic, or locally advanced, unresectable breast cancer"
Barbara A. Parker, MD (MCC)
Rebecca A. Shatsky, MD (MCC)
Project 5
"Inhibiting Liver Cancer Stem Cells to Improve Response to Thermal Ablation"
Jason Sicklick, MD (MCC)
Adam Burgoyne, MD, PhD (MCC)
MCC Translational
Project 1
"Impact of Metformin on Clonal Hematopoiesis and Clinical Outcomes in Breast Cancer"
Rafael Bejar, MD, PhD (MCC)
Dorothy Sears, PhD (MCC)
Project 2
"Evaluation of carcinogen exposure via genome-wide DNA-adduct signatures"
Olivier Harismendy, PhD (MCC)
Ludmil Alexandrov, PhD (MCC)
Jason Sicklick, MD (MCC)
Project 3
"Knowledge-based planning and treatment decision-making for gynecologic brachytherapy"
Sandra Meyers, MD (MCC)
Kevin Moore, MD (MCC)
Jyoti Mayadev, MD (MCC)
Project 4
"Inhibiting Liver Cancer Stem Cells to Improve Response to Thermal Ablation"
Isabel Newton, MD (MCC)
Nicholas Webster, PhD, MA (MCC)
Gen-Sheng Feng, PhD (MCC)
Project 5
"Targeting FZD7 in Human Cancers"
Karl Willert, PhD (MCC)
Dennis Carson, MD (MCC)
Project 6
"Targeting CD114 Signaling in Pediatric Medulloblastoma"
Peter Zage, MD, PhD (MCC)
Robert Wechsler-Reya, PhD (SBP)
Pablo Tamayo, PhD (MCC)
American Cancer Society - Institutional Research Grants (ACS-IRG)
2023
Project 1
Project 2
"Improving the predictive power of polygenic risk scores for breast cancer in diverse and admixed populations using a novel ancestry-agnostic approach"
Matteo D’Antonio, PhD (MCC)
Project 3
"Identifying non-genetic drivers of oncogenic plasticity and tumorigenesis"
Shiri Gur-Cohen, PhD (MCC)
2022
Project 1
"Immunotherapy Mechanisms and Targeting of SWI/SNF Complex Mutations in Pancreatic Cancer"
Gregory Botta, MD, PhD (MCC)
Abstract
Gregory Botta, MD, PhD (MCC)
Abstract
Project 2
"Intraoperative fluorescent visulization of sentinel lymph nodes of the oral cavity using novel fluorescent-labeled tilmanoscept"
Theresa Guo, MD (MCC)
Project 3
"Probing the Stem Cell-Lymphatic Interactome in Cancer Initiation and Metastatic Invasion"
Shiri Gur-Cohen, PhD (MCC)
2021
Project 1
"Immunotherapy Mechanisms and Targeting of SWI/SNF Complex Mutations in Pancreatic Cancer"
Gregory Botta, MD, PhD (MCC)
Project 2
"A Targeted Protein Degradation Approach for Discovery of Improved Therapies in Pediatric Oncology"
Fleur Ferguson, PhD (MCC)
Project 3
"Tissue Modeling in Transoral Robotic Cancer Surgery"
Ryan K Orosco, MD (MCC)
Project 4
"Colorimetric Metasurfaces for Quantitative, On-Chip and Label-Free Cancer Tissue Diagnostics"
Lisa Poulikakos, PhD (MCC)
Project 5
"The Role of Immune Regulation in Metastatic Tumor Dormancy"
Kay Yeung, MD, PhD (MCC)
2018
Project 1
Project 2
Project 3
Project 4
Project 5
"Single Cell Transcriptomics and Epigenomic Profiling to Reveal Immune Landscape in Pediatric Sarcomas"
Anusha Ganesan, MD, PhD
Abstract
Anusha Ganesan, MD, PhD
Abstract
Project 6
"Tumor Board Education Series Devising a Package for Dissemination and Implentation of Evidence Based Recommendations for the Staging and Treatment of Gastric Cancer with Stakeholder Input "
Kaitlin Kelly, MD
Abstract
Kaitlin Kelly, MD
Abstract
Cancer Center Support Grant (CCSG)
2022
MCC Community Outreach and Engagement Pilot Project Award
Project 1
"An Interdisciplinary Approach to Quantifying Radiation Induced Vaginal Steno Cancers for teh Development of a Patient-focused Biomechanical Therapeutic Device"
Jyoti Mayadev, MD
Frank Talke, PhD
Milan Milake, PhD
Jawsome Shark Tank - Multidisciplinary Pilot Project Program
Project 1
"Dual targeted therapy to treat aggressive multiple myeloma"
Fotis Asimakopoulos, PhD
Shweta Joshi, PhD
Project 2
"Combating Cancer with Chemokine-Coated Viral Nanoparticles"
Tracy Handel, PhD
Nicole Steinmetz, PhD
J. Silvio Gutkind, PhD
Project 3
"Investigation of the humoral B-cell response to chemoradiation therapy and checkpoint blockade immunotherapy in locally advanced cervical cancer"
Jyoti Mayadev, MD
Andrew Sharabi, MD, PhD
Sangwoo Kim, MD
Project 4
"Structural and functional identification of small GTPases that partner with RAS associated domain family protein RASSF2 to promote leukemogenesis"
Dong-Er Zhang, PhD
Dong Wang, PhD
Project 5
"Developing dual specificity anti-ROR1 plus anti-Trop2 CARTs for targeting metastatic prostate and lung cancer"
Christina Jamieson, PhD
Charles Prussak, PhD
Rana McKay, MD
2021
Jawsome Shark Tank - Multidisciplinary Pilot Project Program
Project 1
"Targeting the NRF2-EZH2-stimulated metabolic switch in human PDAC"
Michael Karin, PhD
Andrew Lowy, MD
2020
Cancer Control Program Pilot Project Award
Project 1
"A pilot study to assess multi-level implementation of state-level fertility preservation insurance benefit mandates for adolescent and young adult cancer survivors"
Sara McMenamin, PhD
Irene Su, MD
Project 2
"Improved Diagnostic Accuracy of Cardiovascular Screening in Childhood Cancer Survivors Using Global Longitudinal Strain"
Hari K. Narayan, MD, MSCE
Dennis J. Kou, MD, MS
Project 3
"Diagnostic Biomarkers of HCC Using Microbial DNA"
Amir Zarrinpar, MD, PhD
Rohit Loomba, MD
MCC Cancer Center Support Grant (CCSG) Pilot Project Award UCSD-SDSU
Project 1
"RET Inhibition in Neuroblastoma"
Peter Zage, MD, PhD
Jeffrey Gustafson, PhD
Jawsome Shark Tank - Multidisciplinary Pilot Project Program
Project 1
"Exploring the functional impacts of the intratumoral cancer microbiome and its relationship with immunotherapy response"
Rob Knight, PhD
Sandip Patel, PhD
2019
MCC CCSG Project Grant
Project 1
"Computational Infrastructure for Analysis of Precancer Data"
Ludmil Alexandrov, PhD
Jawsome Shark Tank - Multidisciplinary Pilot Project Program
Project 1
"Extrachromosomal DNA in Medulloblastoma"
Lukas Chavez, PhD
Vineet Bafna, PhD
2018
MCC Clinical-Translational Project Award
Project 1
“Therapeutic Targeting of Brain Tumors as Informed by Oncogenic Gene-Enhancer Network Inference”
Lukas Chavez, PhD and John Crawford, MD
Abstract
Lukas Chavez, PhD and John Crawford, MD
Abstract
Project 2
“DRRK2: A novel Therapeutic Target for Multiple Myeloma”
Jack Dixon, PhD and Caitlin Costello, MD
Abstract
Jack Dixon, PhD and Caitlin Costello, MD
Abstract
Project 3
“Rapid Isolation of Circulating Exosomes for Early Detection of Pancreatic Cancer”
Rebekah White, MD and Karen Messer, PhD
Abstract
Rebekah White, MD and Karen Messer, PhD
Abstract
Jawsome Shark Tank - Multidisciplinary Pilot Project Program
Project 1
"Plant VLP in situ vaccination for trreatment of glioma"
Nicole F. Steinmetz, PhD
Jeremy N. Rich, MD, MHS, MBA
Gleiberman Head and Neck Center Pilot Grant
2022
2021
Project 1
"Interaction-Dependent Identification and Characterization of Tumor Antigen-Specific T Cells for Adoptive Therapy in HNSCC"
J. Silvio Gutkind, PhD
Project 2
"Targeting Invadopodia to Inhibit Head and Neck Cancer Metastasis"
Jing Yang, PhD
Project 3
"Study of antitumor B cell immunity in head and neck cancer patients"
Maurizio Zanetti, MD
2020
Project 1
"Evaluating the Prevalence and Progression of Cancer Cachexia in Patients Receiving Curative Intent Therapy for Locally Advanced Head and Neck Cancer"
Assuntina G. Sacco, MD
Project 2
"Combining anti-CD40 antibody with checkpoint blockade and radiation to improve B-cell immune responses in head and neck cancer"
Andrew Sharabi, MD, PhD
Whitney Sumner, MD
2019
Project 1
"In-Vivo Efficacy of 3D-Printed Multichannel Nerve Scaffolds in Long-Gap Facial Nerve Repair"
Jacqueline J. Greene, MD
2018
Project 1
"Dysphagia home exercise program adherence and functional outcomes in patients with head and neck cancer: Comparing traditional and mobile device based delivery models"
Liza Blumenfeld, MA CCC-SLP, BCS-S
Ryan Orosco, MD
Philip Weissbrod, MD
Project 2
"Temporal Analysis of Metabolome in Head and Neck Cancer Patients Undergoing Treatment"
Andrew Sharabi, MD, PhD
Project 3
"Generalized Competing Event (GCE) Modeling to Identify Head and Neck Cancer Patients Likely to Benefit from Treatment Intensification"
Lucas Vitzthum, MD
Project 4
"Pilot study of using home-based sensors to assess patient reported outcomes among minority head and neck cancer patients"
James Murphy, MD