Cancer Biology, Informatics & Omics (CBIO) Training Program

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PROJECT SUMMARY The Cancer Biology, Informatics & Omics (CBIO) program at the University of California, San Diego Health Sciences (UCSDHS) trains PhD students and post-doctoral scholars in cancer research that emphasizes discovery and application/development of informatics tools and omics technologies. The design of CBIO training is driven by three rationales: (i) Basic research discoveries are essential to advancements in cancer diagnosis and treatment; (ii) Cancer omics data combined with model organism research have accelerated the discovery and analysis of novel cancer genes and pathways; and (iii) Investigation of cancer biology in the human system requires proficiency in omics technologies and computational tools. The duration of each trainee appointment is for two-years with the goal to (a) foster research excellence in advanced systems and approaches, (b) provide foundational knowledge in cancer biology and bioinformatics, (c) develop translational insights through Tumor Boards at the Moores UCSD Cancer Center, (d) keep pace with cancer research advancements through journal clubs, seminars, workshops, and national conferences, (e) uphold scientific ethics, rigor and reproducibility through coursework, workshops, refreshers and reinforcements, (f) develop trainee professional careers through coursework, workshops and annual updates of myIDP plans, and (g) promote a collaborative community through monthly scientific meetings and annual retreats. The CBIO program faculty conduct cancer research with demonstrated productivity and expertise in diverse experimental systems. Besides biologists, biochemists and geneticists, our faculty also include mathematicians and computer scientists working on the leading edge of computational cancer research. CBIO faculty are held to the highest scientific standard and our senior faculty each has a strong track record in training graduate students and postdoctoral scholars. CBIO and its predecessor has had a successful track record in mentoring junior faculty, who bring new research and teaching expertise to the program. CBIO has appointed 10 predocs/9 postdocs using the 3 predoc/3 postdoc slots awarded each year and propose a continuation of 3 funded predoc and 3 funded postdoc positions in the next funding cycle. CBIO trainees are PhD students and postdoctoral scholars with outstanding academic records and cancer-focused research projects, selected from large pools of highly qualified candidates. The majority of our former trainees are conducting research in academia, biotech, and pharmaceutical companies with others pursuing careers in teaching, scientific writing and clinical practice. An Executive Committee of CBIO selects and evaluates trainees and faculty with annual input from our External and Internal Advisory Committees. CBIO has added value to research and education at UCSDHS by offering a new Cancer Genomics journal club, by organizing a new training area on Computational Biology and Data Science in the Biomedical Sciences graduate program, and by catalyzing collaborative research leading to new shared grant funding. Building on these successes, CBIO will continue to serve as a hub for big data cancer research and education at UCSDHS in the years to come.