EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE FOR TUMOR HETEROGENEITY

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DESCRIPTION: (Applicant's Description) In this renewal application, we seek support for development and evaluation of several novel educational applications of the Oncology Thinking Cap (OncoTCap), a computer system that provides an extensive and highly flexible cancer modeling laboratory enabling a range of educational interventions. The heart of OncoTCap is a pair of computational engines that simulate the evolution of heterogeneous tumors, based on an economical description of biological assumptions. Populations can be observed to evolve and respond to cancer treatments, OncoTCap also includes a set of interface programs that support the system's use by educators, trainees, and researchers. These interfaces can be used to promote understanding of important issues of cancer treatment and to support hypothesis generation. Building on the work performed under our initial grant, we are poised to make highly significant expansions in OncoTCap's capabilities, in regard to modeling power and new or improved interfaces. The expansions will, in turn, allow us to develop and evaluate new and augmented interventions in cancer education to enhance basic science research, clinical research, and patient care. The new educational interventions planned in conjunction with cancer educators include: 1. Utilization of Expert Interface and Cancer Information Genie in three cancer fellowship programs to accelerate the penetration, integration and usability of new cancer biology knowledge in research and clinical practice; 2. Utilization of the Clinical Trial Wizard in a medical school advanced cancer selective to convey experience with four major stages of drug development; 3. Utilization of the Patient Encounter Interface in an ongoing training program for oncology residents, focused on patient management skills.