Cohen Announces More Than $750K for University of Tennessee Health Science Center

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today announced that the National Cancer Institute (NCI) has awarded a grant worth $766,747 to the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) for cancer research. Specifically, the project will focus on the predictors of smokeless tobacco use in the United States military.

“UTHSC is recognized throughout the country as a standard-bearer for medical research,” said Congressman Cohen. “With this generous grant from the National Cancer Institute, UTHSC will serve our country by helping to determine the predictors of smokeless tobacco use within the military. According to NCI, there is sufficient evidence that smokeless tobacco causes cancer, and the American Cancer Institute estimates that in 2012 Tennessee alone will suffer more than 13,000 cancer-related deaths. Knowing this, I cannot think of a more worthy recipient of this NCI grant.”

NCI was established by Congress in 1937 by the National Cancer Institute Act and incorporated into the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in 1944. The NIH is one of 11 agencies composing the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NCI coordinates the National Cancer Program, which conducts and supports training, research, health information dissemination, and other programs with respect to the diagnosis, cause, prevention and treatment of cancer, rehabilitation from cancer, and the continuing care of cancer patients and their families.