History

Collaboration between the UAB O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center (OCCC) and Tuskegee University (TU) began in 2001 with a P20 grant . During the same period, partnership efforts with Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM) were initiated through a U56 grant .

In 2006, all three institutions—MSM, TU and UAB—were jointly funded with a U54 grant , officially establishing the tri-institutional cancer research partnership.

Since then, the U54 Partnership has been competitively renewed in:

• 2011
• 2016
• 2021 (now in the 4th year of the current funding cycle)

The next competitive renewal is expected in the Last week of November 2025.