|  |
| Amelie G. Ramirez, Dr.P.H., director of the Institute for Health Promotion Research at the Health Science Center, serves on the institute’s Scientific and Prevention Advisory Council. | |
 Printer Friendly Format
| |
AUSTIN, TX – The 81st Texas Legislature adjourned June 1 after passing legislation that included House Bill 1358, a bill that will dramatically improve operations of the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, created in House Bill 14 by the 80th Legislature.
The bill, a model for other states, strengthens the conflict of interest guidelines, clarifies the peer review process and gives the institute the necessary tools to ensure that taxpayer money is invested wisely. The institute also received an appropriation of $450 million dollars for the next two years to fund grants for cancer research and prevention to expedite innovation in cancer treatment and expand cancer prevention and treatment capabilities.
“While we were hoping for the full funding of $600 million dollars, we thank the Texas leadership for putting their faith in the institute,” said William “Bill” Gimson, executive director of the institute. “We promise the people of Texas that we will be good stewards of the public’s trust by funding only the best scientific research and prevention, measuring what we do, and reporting back regularly on our progress.”
Institute appoints leadership team The budgeted amount will give the institute the flexibility of a 12-month ramp-up period with the ability to fully fund the second year at $300 million. Much has happened with the institute since Texas voters approved Proposition 15, the constitutional amendment that allows the State of Texas to issue $3 billion in general obligation bonds over 10 years to fund grants for cancer research and prevention. The institute’s 11-member Oversight Committee held its first meeting in June 2008, officially inaugurating the institute. The Oversight Committee conducted a national search for an executive director and appointed Gimson, former chief operating officer of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in March 2009. Alfred G. Gilman, M.D., Ph.D., renowned scientist and Nobel Laureate, was named chief scientific officer of the institute and will assume his duties June 10.
Other key members of the institute’s leadership team are being put in place. Policies and processes are being developed to receive and review project proposals, make awards to the best projects, and properly monitor the progress of each project. The first call for proposals will happen as soon as August.
Dr. Amelie Ramirez serves on the Scientific and Prevention Advisory Council The Oversight Committee appointed a Scientific and Prevention Advisory Council, which includes representatives from many fields of cancer prevention, research and clinical treatment, to provide advice about promising areas for investing state dollars in cancer prevention and research. Among the appointees to the council is
Amelie G. Ramirez, Dr.P.H., director of the Institute for Health Promotion Research at the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio.
“We are so pleased that the institute is quickly building the infrastructure to award the best cancer research and prevention projects that Texas has to offer,” said James M. Mansour, chairman of the Oversight Committee. “We are hopeful that before the end of the biennium the institute will be fully funded as the people of Texas wanted.”
