The Special Populations Networks for cancer awareness research and training

The Special Populations Networks (SPN) project is widely regarded as perhaps the most successful in the history of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) at performing cancer awareness, research, and training activities within minority and underserved communities throughout the United States and its territories. Key to that success is the trust established among the community, its researchers and the NCI. Composed of 18 separate grant awards, the SPN project was implemented in April 2000 to integrate the communities' need for cancer information with the NCI's need to increase cancer awareness, perform new research, and train minority junior investigators for research in populations with a disproportionate burden of cancer. To date, the 18 networks have conducted more than 1,000 awareness events, trained more than 2,000 community health aides, won 135 grants to support pilot research projects, published 130 peer-reviewed papers, and raised another $20 million to support SPN activities. Successful implementation of the SPN project required the principal investigators to establish and maintain close working relationships with key community leaders and organizations in cooperation with NCI.