Here is this week’s news of grants and gifts that may be of particular interest to women in higher education.
Veronica Ajewole-Mwema, professor of pharmacy practice and assistant vice president for clinical translational research and community engagement at Texas Southern University, has received a $2 million grant from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas to expand the university’s TSU Breast Cancer Screening and Prevention Center. Established three years ago, the center has provided non-cost mammography services and implemented comprehensive health education programs to thousands of women in five counties throughout Texas. Through its newest grant, the center will expand its reach to four more counties, while continuing to advance its efforts in the original five counties.
Agnes Scott College, a liberal arts college for women in Decatur, Georgia, has received a $250,000 grant from the William R. Kenan, Jr. Charitable Trust to support the Global Journeys program, a required first-year course that introduces students to global learning and leadership development. The program includes a one-week faculty-led immersion in a domestic or international location directly connected to the course content.
Olivia Lanier, assistant professor of chemical and biological engineering at the University of New Mexico, has received a grant from the American Cancer Society to examine how a nanoparticle-packed gel could help treat ovarian cancer more effectively. While similar products have successfully treated resistant forms of ovarian cancer, many have also shown to cause eye problems. Dr. Lanier’s project will explore if administering the hydrogel vaginally could mitigate ocular toxicity.