UT Tyler Awarded $890K for Cancer Research
Dr. Erminia Massarelli
University and UT Health East to enhance treatment in rural areas
TYLER, Texas (November 11, 2026) – The University of Texas at Tyler received an $890,472 Rural Oncology Trials Accelerator Award from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas to expand cancer research in Henderson County.
Led by Dr. Erminia Massarelli, division chief of Hematology/Oncology at the UT Tyler School of Medicine Department of Internal Medicine and medical director for Hematology/Oncology at the UT Health East Texas HOPE Cancer Center, the award will fund staff, equipment and infrastructure at the Athens clinic, giving patients access to cutting-edge cancer treatments and contributing to overall cancer research.
“True academic medicine means extending our reach and meeting our communities where they are,” said Dr. Sue Cox, dean of the UT Tyler School of Medicine. “Previously, participating in a clinical trial meant taking on a significant travel burden. Now, our patients no longer have to travel to Tyler to participate in these life-changing programs.”
Residents in rural areas are disproportionately affected by cancer, facing higher mortality rates and poorer outcomes overall. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, approximately 66% of Henderson County’s population lives in a rural area, and many have had to drive 40 miles or more for access to clinical research.
“This funding directly addresses the healthcare disparities faced by rural populations by alleviating the travel burden and exhausting time commitments that families undergoing cancer treatment so often endure,” said Massarelli. “By bringing these trials directly to Athens, we hope to not only improve local outcomes but also model future expansions in rural clinical trials across all of East Texas.”
Massarelli also serves as a professor of medicine at the UT Tyler School of Medicine. She earned her Doctor of Medicine and her Doctor of Philosophy in Molecular Oncology and Endocrinology from the University of Naples Federico II in Italy, alongside a Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences from The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. Her advanced training includes fellowships in medical oncology at both the University of Naples Federico II and MD Anderson Cancer Center, as well as a postdoctoral fellowship in thoracic/head and neck medical oncology at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Specializing in lung, head and neck cancers, her research targets overcoming resistance to platinum-based therapies and boosting immune responses.
About UT Health East Texas
UT Health East Texas provides care to thousands of patients each year through an extensive regional network that includes 9 hospitals, more than 90 clinics, the Olympic Plaza Tower, 13 regional rehabilitation facilities, two freestanding emergency centers, regional home health services, an EMS fleet of more than 65 ambulances and four helicopters, and a network of eight comprehensive trauma care centers, including the region’s only Level 1 trauma facility.
As a partner with The University of Texas System, UT Health East Texas is uniquely positioned to provide patients with access to leading-edge research and clinical therapies while training and educating the next generation of physicians and other health professionals. The nationally recognized UT System also includes The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, as well as three other major university medical centers located throughout the state.
About UT Tyler
With a mission to improve educational and healthcare outcomes for East Texas and beyond, UT Tyler offers more than 90 undergraduate and graduate programs to more than 11,700 students. Through its alignment with UT Tyler Health Science Center and UT Health East Texas, UT Tyler has unified these entities to serve Texas with quality education, cutting-edge research and excellent patient care. Classified by Carnegie as a doctoral research institution and by U.S. News & World Report as a national university, UT Tyler has campuses in Tyler, Longview, Palestine and Houston.