The Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas oversight committee approved a slate of 15 prevention awards recommending $27,000,169.50 in funding across projects focused on cancer prevention, screening and early detection.

Doctor Rekis, presenting the Prevention and Screening slate, told the committee the recommended projects are aligned to program priorities and include a mix of expansion awards and new projects. Among projects highlighted were a multi‑county colorectal cancer screening initiative led by Dr. Maria Fernandez at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston that will serve 30 counties and rely on federally qualified health centers; a lung cancer screening and tobacco cessation consortium project led by Baylor College of Medicine targeting 12 counties (approximately 78,000 people served); and a Young Women’s Christian Association of San Antonio proposal that—if approved—would be the organization’s first CPRIT award to expand breast and cervical screening and HPV vaccination through community health worker coordination.

The slate also includes a City of Laredo health department project to increase breast and hepatitis C screening in Webb County and other South Texas counties; prevention staff noted Webb County has a liver cancer incidence approximately double the state average.

Committee members raised questions about emerging screening technologies (liquid biopsies), pediatric vaping and how prevention awards might connect to clinical trial recruitment. Doctor Rekis said staff have not yet received prevention applications focused on broad liquid‑biopsy screening tests but expect such applications as the science matures.

The committee approved the slate by voice vote and delegated contract negotiation authority to the CEO and staff to finalize agreements.

Next steps: Contracts will be negotiated and executed under standard CPRIT procedures; grant monitoring and standardized reporting measures will be used to evaluate impact and aggregate statewide screening results.