Posted 6/17/2008

Assistant professor praised for ability to secure
competitive grant funding

Dr. James B. Burch, an epidemiologist at the Arnold School of Public Health, was recognized by the South Carolina Cancer Alliance (SCCA) at its annual meeting for his work in cancer research.

"Dr. Jim Burch is a leader in the effort to expand the opportunities for colorectal cancer screening in SC. He also has been extraordinarily active in the SCCA's Colorectal Cancer Workgroup, leading the screening subcommittee as it embarks on the important task of expanding colorectal cancer screening in South Carolina," said USC colleague Dr. James Hebert, director of the South Carolina Statewide Cancer Prevention and Control Program.

Dr. Jim Burch

Burch, an assistant professor, has published 12 research articles in peer-reviewed journals in the past two years. This includes authorship on two of the articles in the August 2006 special issue of the Journal of the South Carolina Medical Association (on breast and colorectal cancers).

Within a year of arriving at USC (in 2005), he received a Department of Veteran's Affairs Research Career Development Program grant to investigate the "Role of Circadian Disruption in Polyp Formation and Recurrence."

"His ability to secure such competitive grants is an impressive achievement in this age of dwindling research funding opportunities," said Dr. John Ureda, chair of SCCA's Coordinating Council.

"In addition to his own grants, he has been an extremely valuable colleague and mentor to up and coming researchers in the field," said Hebert.

Burch earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Colorado in Boulder. His doctorate is from Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO.

The South Carolina Cancer Alliance (SCCA) is an independent, statewide nonprofit organization whose mission is to reduce the impact of Cancer on ALL people in South Carolina.

With the Excellence Awards, the SCCA seeks to annually recognize outstanding individuals, groups, programs and organizations that support the mission, values and principles of the SCCA in one of the following six cancer control categories: 1) Advocacy and Policy, 2) Early Detection, 3) Patient Care, 4) Prevention, 5) Research, and 6) Survivor and Family.

Those eligible include any individual, group, organization or program that demonstrates excellence or makes significant contributions to cancer control in South Carolina.