BEHAVIOR AND CANCER: ETIOLOGY, PREVENTION, AND MENTAL HE

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DESCRIPTION (Adapted from the Applicant's Abstract): This application requests funding for a pre- and postdoctoral training program that will prepare individuals for careers in biobehavioral oncology. Despite the growing importance of behavioral medicine and health psychology in research and treatment of cancer, there is little systematic training available at the pre-doctoral or post-doctoral level in biobehavioral or psychosocial oncology. The proposed training program was designed to fill this gap and meet an expanding need for sophisticated researchers in this area of inquiry. The program draws on an outstanding faculty in two geographically adjacent universities to provide integrated interdisciplinary training. Current funding for the 26 members of our training faculty includes more than 100 active research grants. We have trained 60 predocs and 34 postdocs in the last ten years and many of these trainees have become established and contributing health scientists. Extensive research collaboration among training faculty in research on cancer outcomes, on prevention and reduction of modifiable risk for cancer, and on other cancer-related issues such as stress and immune status will provide a strong context for research training in biobehavioral oncology. Together with course work across a number of departments and in several specialty areas and organized seminar and research meetings, trainees will engage in state-of-the-art research in behavioral medicine and cancer. Predoctoral trainees in the program receive degrees in health psychology or in clinical or social psychology with a specialization in health psychology. Postdoctoral trainees include Ph.D.s in behavioral and biological sciences and M.D.s. We use a variety of experiences in our training program including formal courses, seminars, and research programs involving humans and animals. Trainees participate in a primary research program while becoming knowledgeable about other areas of research. Research training occurs in the context of the development and systematic examination of psychologic and biologic theory. Each trainee is required to master theoretical and substantive literatures, and upon completion of training, predoctoral trainees will be prepared for placement as researchers in academic medicine or psychology departments. Following their internships, clinical students will be prepared for conducting health psychology research in clinical or academic settings. Adequate laboratory space, office space, secretarial support, computer facilities and libraries are available for the trainees.