Nutrition and cancer: a curriculum and short student research experiences

In 1988, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center (LSUHSC) received an NCI/NIH R25 grant to strengthen nutrition-cancer education in the medical school and to provide short cancer-related research experiences for students. Support for the nutrition-cancer curriculum component of the grant was limited to the first five years, while renewal of the research component was possible on a competitive basis. After the initial five-year award ended, the administration of LSUHSC assumed the support of the nutrition-cancer curriculum. This curriculum, modified over time, continues to be taught in each year of medical school and culminates with a required clinical nutrition course in the fourth year. The teaching of nutrition continues to be very successful and is well received by students and faculty. The research component, renewed twice, has achieved its goals over the same period. As a consequence of the initial award and the commitment of the administration, nutrition education at LSUHSC remains strong and is well established.