The American Association of Cancer Research (AACR) has announced its selection of the African Caribbean Cancer Consortium to receive its coveted 2023 Team Science Award. The consortium is comprised of an interdisciplinary group of researchers and physicians, including urologists, surgeons, oncologists, epidemiologists, pathologists, and microbiologists located at Fox Chase Cancer Center (FCCC), Philadelphia, and it is also known as AC3. Professor Louden, who served as the first president of the Anguilla Community College (ACC), is the Chairperson of the Research and Ethics Committee at AC3, which is comprised of members from Jamaica, Kenya, Liberia, and the US.
This honour is being bestowed on behalf of the AACR and more than 54,000 laboratory researchers, physician-scientists, other health care professionals, and patient advocates who constitute its membership. Their announcement reads, in part:
“The AACR in partnership with the Eli Lilly and Company established this prestigious award in 2006 to acknowledge and catalyze the growing importance of interdisciplinary teams to the understanding of cancer and/or the translation of research discoveries into clinical cancer applications. Annually, this award recognizes an outstanding interdisciplinary research team such as the African-Caribbean Cancer Consortium for their innovative and meritorious science that has advanced or may advance our fundamental knowledge of cancer, or has applied existing knowledge to advancing the detection, diagnosis, prevention, or treatment of cancer.”
The AC3 team will be celebrated at the 2023 AACR Annual Meeting, which is the focal point of the cancer research community for sharing the latest advances in the field. From population science and prevention; to cancer biology, translational, and clinical studies; to survivorship and advocacy; the meeting highlights the work of the best minds in cancer research from institutions across the world.
Members of the award-winning AC3 team include:
• Camille C.R. Ragin, PhD, MPH (Team Leader)
• Kellie Alleyne-Mike, MD
• Kimlin T. Ashing, PhD
• Aviane Auguste, PhD
• Rishika Banydeen, MPH
• Raleigh Butler, MD
• Samuel Gathere, MD
• Sophia George, PhD
• Natalie S. Greaves, PhD
• Tamara Green, MD
• Darron A.C. Halliday, MD
• Maria D. Jackson, PhD
• Patricia D. Jones, MD
• Rukia Kibaya, MSc
• Evans Kiptanui, MS
• Anne R. Korir, MPH
• Delroy M. Louden, PhD
• Valerie Odero-Marah, PhD
• JoAnn S. Oliver, PhD
• Veronica Roache
• Robin Roberts, MD
• Samuel T. Slewion, MA
• Charles G. Waihenya, MD
• Charnita Zeigler-Johnson, PhD, MPH
Since Retiring as the First Anguilla Community College President
Professor Louden has continued to serve the Anguillan community since his term as the first ACC president, where he shaped the ACC academic and technical foundation with his vision for education to build a strong nation. He has contributed through board membership or as chairperson* in the:
• Anguilla Community Foundation
• Anguilla Financial Services Commission
• Health Authority of Anguilla
• TVET Council when ACC President
• *Visiting Justice Committee
Philanthropy
In 2019, AC3 initiated the Jonice Albertha Louden Young Investigator Award to be presented at the biennial AC3 Scientific meeting to the most promising early-stage investigator in any area of cancer research. Mrs. Louden, a domiciliary midwife, earned her bachelor’s and Master’s degree at UWI-Mona with an emphasis on Sociology of Development. In Jamaica, she was responsible for the monitoring and evaluation of international funded projects at the Data Band and Evaluation Division, Ministry of Agriculture. Funding for this award is made possible by Professor Delroy Louden and the Louden Family of Clarendon Jamaica. Notably, Ewan Cobran, PhD, was the inaugural recipient of the award in Kingston Jamaica at the last AC3 scientific meeting before the COVID outbreak and is now a tenured adjunct professor and senior associate consultant in the Division of Epidemiology at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Sciences. Working with AC3, the goal is to endow the fund in perpetuity in honor of his wife of over 50 years of marriage.
A former Distinguished Fulbright Scholar, Professor Louden completed his post-doctoral training in Epidemiology at Johns Hopkins University and held academic appointments in Nigeria, Canada, in the University of Toronto Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, and at UWI Mona. He was a Co-Principal Investigator on the Lincoln University Pennsylvania/Fox Chase Cancer Centre Partnership in Cancer Research and Training (P20), supported by the US National Cancer Institute. At Lincoln, he also instituted the Office of Research Development through funding from NIH/NICHHD. Prior to that, he served as Director of Epidemiology and Surveillance at the New York City Department of Health Bureau of Tuberculosis Control.
Recently, Professor Louden also received a distinguished citation from the Anguilla Progressive Association of New York (APANY) for “unparalleled pioneering and professional contributions to the establishment of tertiary education in Anguilla through the Anguilla Community College.’’
In Jamaica, the Loudens honored their mother with the Ermine Williams Louden scholarship for students completing a bachelor’s degree in nursing through the Council of Community Colleges of Jamaica. They also introduced the Melville and Ermine Louden scholarship in Technical and Vocational education at ACC in honor of their late father, a carpenter. Other initiatives such as the Visiting Fulbright Scholarship funded by the US Bureau of Education were established during his tenure.
In turn, Mrs. Louden then honored her late mother with an ACC scholarship: the Lilian V. Richardson Scholarship Fund. The scholarship goes to the ACC student pursuing a Hospitality studies degree with the highest mark in baking, as her mother was an accomplished pâtissier. Prior to retirement from ACC with the support from of the Board Chair and its members Professor Louden established through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Lincoln University-Pennsylvania where several students gained admission to complete their undergraduate education. Four students from the Albena Lake Hodge have so far completed their degree in Biology and Computer science with high honors. Indeed the student in Biology gained a summer internship at AC3-Fox Chase Cancer Center that resulted in a peer review publication. All four students are now back in Anguilla and gainfully employed. Professor Louden has also established a Faculty Endowment Award through the Anguilla Community Foundation to support faculty enrichment and development at ACC.
Recently, Professor Louden provided funding for the current President of ACC to attend the Association of Caribbean Tertiary Institutions (ACTI) Conference in Miami, Florida. ACTI is a regional institution that aims to facilitate cooperation among tertiary educational institutions across the Caribbean region. A critical aspect of the work of ACTI is to provide opportunities for regional tertiary educational institutions to access resources that can assist in institutional strengthening and building high quality in tertiary education. The focus of the recently concluded conference was “Education for Social Transformation.” Participants were provided with an array of resources and knowledge to assist them in strengthening their institutions and that would prepare their institutions for the many changes that lie ahead as they seek to forge a stronger role for tertiary education in the social transformation of Caribbean society.
ACC is very grateful to Professor Louden for his continued support of the institution through scholarships which he has provided through the Anguilla Community Foundation and through other such as the Melville and Ermine Louden scholarship and the Lilian V. Richardson Scholarship which have provided continued support for students of Anguilla. Professor Louden is also a skilled grant-writer and he has provided his services in this area not only to the Anguilla Community College but also to wider cross-sections of Anguilla and to the Caribbean region.
Linkages and Collaborations
While president of the ACC and beyond, Professor Louden has been working to share his linkages and collaborations with FCCC and AC3 to enhance the resources available to the Ministry of Health-Anguilla, with a goal of creating a cancer registry here.
This effort began by encouraging Dr. Robert Beck, then the FCCC chief executive officer, Professor Camile Regin, and a staff member to visit Anguilla. The contingent met with Mr. Eddison Beard and Dr. Bonnie Richardson-Lake, who were the Minister and PS for the Ministry of Health, respectively, at that time. Mrs. Jennifer Gumbs of the Anguilla Cancer Society also joined them.
Since then, Premier Dr. Ellis Lorenzo Webster has picked up this initiative after further discussions with Drs. Beck and Regin at FCCC. A memorandum of understanding (MOU) was prepared and circulated for signing amid other priorities. Inasmuch as FCCC is part the health systems of Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the Ministry of Health would gain a laudable partner, as well as access to a rich array of courses and degree offerings from which Anguilla could benefit – upon obtaining the necessary approvals.
