At the 100 Black Men of Chicago Health and Wellness Expo, leaders from the University of Illinois Cancer Center, Genentech, the All of Us Research Program and Equal Hope will host a panel discussion on structural solutions for diverse cancer clinical trials.

Diverse Cancer Clinical Trials Experts

Expert panelists for the session, “Structural Solutions for Diverse Cancer Trials (ASSETS) for Cook County Series: Investing in Federally Qualified Health Centers, Safety Net and Community Facilities” include:

• Pamela Thomas Hall – UI Health patient and participant across multiple clinical trials
• Arielle Guzman – Biorepository Clinical Research Coordinator in the Cancer Center Clinical Trials Office
• Paris Thomas, PhD – Executive Director for Equal Hope, a non-profit organization committed to health equity
• Keith Naylor, MD – UI Health Gastroenterologist and Cancer Center member
• Abiola Ibraheem, MD – UI Health Medical Oncologist and Cancer Center Member
• VK Gadi, MD – Cancer Center Deputy Director
• Karriem Watson, DHSc – Chief Engagement Officer, All of Us Research Program, National Institutes of Health
• Sheron Robinson – Director of Healthcare Market in Chicago, Genentech

Examples of structural solutions for diverse cancer clinical trials include decentralized navigation that allows uninsured and underinsured patients to be on trials even if the hospital with the trial doesn’t accept their insurance or they have no insurance; investigator initiated trials; and racial and ethnic concordance in patient-provider relationships.

Charles Walton, MBA, executive director of the organization 100 Black Men of Chicago, is a member of the Cancer Center’s Community Advisory Board. The Chicago chapter Walton runs is part of a nationwide organization that connects business leaders and other adult volunteers with African-American males, ages 13 to 18, to provide mentoring, education, health and wellness, and economic empowerment.