HONOLULU — The National Cancer Institute has awarded a combined grant to the University of Hawaii's Cancer Research Center of Hawaii and the University of Guam.

The $12.6 million grant will be used to support the institutions' cancer research partnership program.

Dr. Carl Wilhelm-Vogel is the principal investigator and former director of the cancer center.

He says the award will support regionally important research projects while addressing cancer health disparities in Guam and other parts of Micronesia.

The award is part of a program supporting partnerships of National Cancer Institute-designated cancer centers with minority-serving institutions in geographic regions.

The two universities form the only partnership addressing cancer health disparities in the Pacific islanders.