October 15, 2007. Amelie G. Ramirez, DrPH, Redes En Acción Principal Investigator, was recently honored with election to the prestigious Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academies. The National Academies serve as independent advisors to the nation on science, engineering and medicine.
Dr. Ramirez, a nationally recognized leader in research of cancer disparities affecting Latinos and other populations, is a Professor of Medicine at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and Director of the Institute for Health Promotion Research.
"I am extremely honored to be recognized by my peers, and I look forward to joining them in their efforts to address and improve the health of U.S. residents," Dr. Ramirez said. "In particular, I am excited to be able to bring my experience in health disparity and behavioral intervention research to the table to help bridge the gap of health care for those who are at a disadvantage due to race / ethnicity or social determinants, such as education, income or proximity to medical care."
President Francisco Cigarroa of The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio said, “To be selected into the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies is one of the highest honors in the world.”
“Dr. Ramirez recently was awarded a $5.2 million grant by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to establish a national network to reverse obesity among Hispanic children,” said William L. Henrich, M.D., M.A.C.P., dean of the School of Medicine and vice president for medical affairs at the Health Science Center. “Her previous work has raised awareness of breast cancer and other cancers among Latinos. The IOM is recognizing this substantial body of work.”
Since 2000, Dr. Ramirez has served as principal investigator of a major National Cancer Institute (NCI)-supported program, Redes En Acción: The National Latino Cancer Research Network. She has directed numerous research programs focusing on human and organizational communication to reduce chronic disease and cancer health disparities affecting Hispanics and other populations. Her research record places her above the 95th percentile of the distribution of National Institutes of Health grants over the past 25 years.
The National Academies consist of the Institute of Medicine, the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering and the National Research Council. Election recognizes those who have made major contributions to the advancement of the medical sciences, health care and public health.
What Is Redes En Acción? Redes En Acción is a major NCI-supported initiative to combat cancer among Latinos through a nationwide network of community-based organizations, research institutions, government health agencies and the public. Core activities include promoting cancer training and research opportunities for Latino students and researchers, generating research projects on key Latino cancer issues, and supporting cancer awareness activities within the Latino community.
The initiative is coordinated by the Institute for Health Promotion Research at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, with regional network centers in San Antonio, New York, Miami, Chicago, San Francisco and San Diego.
