UPCI CANCER EDUCATION AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS

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We propose to develop an interdisciplinary postdoctoral training program in early detection and prevention of cancer. The overall goal of our proposed Cancer Education and Career Development (CECD) program is to increase the number of young scientists who are qualified to conduct interdisciplinary translational cancer research. Our CECD program will also provide initial career development to facilitate their transition to independent investigators. We have assembled a multidisciplinary team of mentors to carry out didactic, laboratory, and population-based research training for this program. It will consist of four components: l) four semesters of program-specific didactic instruction in biostatistics, cancer biology and biomarkers, epidemiology, and human genetics, including completion of a MPH degree; 2) time devoted exclusively to rigorous research training and a project in early cancer detection or prevention; 3) preparation of a K22 NCI Transition Career Award application; and 4) career development. A specialized course has been developed in Cancer Biomarkers and Molecular Epidemiology which will provide interdisciplinary instruction in the focus area of this application. This program will be based in the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI) with training concentrated within the recently funded NCI Early Detection Research Network Biomarkers Developmental Laboratory (EDRN/BDL) of the UPCI. We anticipate recruiting seven Fellows into the program who will have completed doctoral level training in a basic biomedical science. Recruitment will be undertaken on a national level utilizing journal and national meeting advertisements, web-based resources, and interactions with EDRN investigators, followed by personal interviews to identify the strongest candidates with career commitment to translational cancer research. The comprehensive clinical and research resources of the UPCI, the support of the well-funded faculty mentors highlighted by the activities of the UPCI EDRN/BDL, together provide an ideal environment for postdoctoral training and initial career development of these critically needed interdisciplinary scientists to improve cancer early detection and prevention.