Research Mission

The mission of the research division of family and community medicine (FCM) at Texas Tech Health El Paso Paul L. Foster School of Medicine is to advance the science of family medicine through the generation of knowledge to improve the health of the predominantly Hispanic U.S.-Mexico border population that we serve. The division seeks to become nationally recognized among departments of family medicine for engaging in high quality primary care research that improves the health of our community and eliminates disparities in health care.

Cancer prevention and control represents one of the division's primary research priorities and closely aligns with the institutional mission of the Center of Emphasis in Cancer at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso. Cancer remains the second leading cause of death in the U.S., and is the leading cause of death among Hispanics in the U.S. Our community suffers from a disproportionately high burden of some cancers, particularly breast, liver, and cervical cancer, and has lower rates of screening than other populations. Although survival from cancer has improved over time, it is very much stage-dependent, with the best hope of cure being earlier diagnosis and prevention. Current research foci include Hispanic and rural health disparities, in prevention and early detection of colorectal, breast, cervical, and HPV-associated cancers.

Since the research division was established in the fall of 2010, we have been funded on 20 different grants from agencies such as the National Cancer Institute, the American Cancer Society, Susan G. Komen Foundation, and the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas. Our grant portfolio includes a total amount of over $33 million dollars in funding.