UTRGV awarded $877K CPRIT grant to launch region’s first oncology clinical trials infrastructure

By Saira Cabrera

RIO GRANDE VALLEY, TEXAS – MAY 22, 2026 – The Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) has awarded The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley nearly $1 million to establish the region's first comprehensive oncology clinical trials infrastructure.

The funding represents a transformative step that will allow South Texas patients to access innovative cancer treatments locally, eliminating the need to travel hundreds of miles outside the Rio Grande Valley for specialized care. 

The three-year, $877,627 Rural Oncology Clinical Trials Accelerator Award will support the creation of the UTRGV Rural Oncology Clinical Trials Accelerator, an initiative that will be housed within the new UT Health RGV Cancer and Surgery Center in McAllen.

Led by Dr. Diane Nguyen, division chief of Oncology and medical director of the center, the new infrastructure will build the framework required to recruit, enroll and support patients participating in national oncology clinical trials.

“This is a major milestone not only for UTRGV, but for the entire Rio Grande Valley,” said Nguyen, who also serves as the Robert J. Kleberg, Jr. and Helen C. Kleberg Foundation chair in Medical Oncology at the UTRGV School of Medicine. "For too long, many of our patients have had limited access to clinical trials and novel cancer therapies close to home. This grant allows us to begin building that opportunity right here.”

OVERCOMING BARRIERS

An estimated 9,000 new cancer cases are diagnosed in the Rio Grande Valley each year, with common diagnoses including breast, prostate and colorectal cancers. Local case rates are projected to rise by 16% over the next decade. Due to geographic and socioeconomic barriers, local patients seeking clinical trials have historically been forced to travel to major medical centers in Houston or San Antonio.

Beyond expanding local healthcare options, the CPRIT-funded initiative aims to address a critical gap in national medical research: the historic underrepresentation of Hispanic populations in clinical trials.

“We cannot fully understand how treatments work for our communities if our communities are not represented in the research,” said Dr. Subhash Chauhan, director of the South Texas Center of Excellence in Cancer Research at the UTRGV School of Medicine. “This funding changes that. It creates opportunities for patients in our region to participate in cutting-edge cancer research without leaving home, advancing equity in both clinical care and medical discovery.” 

BUILDING THE FUTURE OF REGIONAL CANCER CARE

The initiative arrives at a pivotal moment following the recent opening of the UT Health RGV Cancer and Surgery Center. The multidisciplinary facility integrates medical, radiation and surgical oncology, diagnostics, advanced research and clinical trials under one roof. 

Nguyen said the CPRIT award represents more than infrastructure funding; it brings hope to patients and families across the region.

“We are creating something that has never existed in the Valley before,” Nguyen said. “Our goal is to ensure patients can receive advanced cancer care, participate in groundbreaking research and remain close to their families and support systems during treatment.” 

For Dr. Everardo Cobos, dean of the UTRGV School of Medicine and Cancer Service Line director, the award underscores the vital impact of academic medicine in South Texas. 

“This is exactly why academic medicine matters,” Cobos said. “We are not only treating patients — we are building the future of cancer care and bringing lifesaving innovation to the communities that need it most.”

STATEWIDE INVESTMENT, LOCAL IMPACT

The UTRGV award is part of a broader statewide effort, representing one of five first-time Rural Clinical Trial Accelerator grants awarded by CPRIT to expand trial access in underserved areas. Since 2009, CPRIT has delivered more than $4 billion in funding for cancer research and prevention, distinguishing itself as the second-largest public funder of cancer research in the United States.

The latest grant brings the UTRGV School of Medicine and its affiliated research centers to more than $11.3 million in CPRIT funding since 2021 – supporting major cancer research initiatives focused on innovation, infrastructure and reducing health disparities in South Texas.

At UTRGV, this investment is a definitive step toward eliminating geographic limitations on healthcare. 

“This is transformational for the Valley,” Chauhan said. “We are building a foundation that will impact generations of patients to come.”