Bridges to the Doctorate between UDC and LCCC

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The University of the District of Columbia (UDC) and the Georgetown University Medical Center, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center (LCCC) propose to establish a Bridges to the Doctorate that will be built upon the successful partnership that currently exist due to NH/NCI P20 and U56 funding. A UDC Masters Degree Program in Cancer Biology, Prevention and Control, an outgrowth from the U56 grant, is jointly taught by UDC and LCCC. To help alleviate the heavy cancer burden the impacts the District of Columbia, the Masters Degree Program was established to provide competitive minorities students who will gain admission to the Tumor Biology Program at LCCC or similar institutions. Consistent with the NIH requirements for the Bridges to the Doctorate Program, we propose the following objectives to augment the students conceptual leaning and skills: (1) To develop and implement a highly competitive curriculum by initiating curricular enhancement activities that address the use of technology, community outreach, professional experts in a classroom setting, and research-based instruction. (2) To improve the academic performance of students by having them attend scientific meetings, research skills workshops, distinguished lectures, and relevant seminars. Each student will become a member of one of the Transition Interest Groups (TRIGs) which provide opportunities for students to receive mentoring from upper level students and faculty from both institutions. (3) To provide each Masters Degree student with a summer research experience in a research-intensive laboratory at Georgetown University. A secondary objective, for which funds are not requested, will establish a Pre-Masters Program by working in conjunction with the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences at UDC through the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics /NSF) Research and Training Center and the HCOP (Health Careers Opportunity Program /HRSA) to increase the number of well prepared students majoring in Biology and to provide a pool of students for the Masters and the Bridges to the Doctorate Programs. The goal of the Bridges to the Doctorate Program is to graduate from the Masters Program, students who are able to gain admission to LCCC or similar institution and eventually become biomedical scientists best suited to translate cancer biology, prevention and control methods into research that will help alleviate the heavy cancer burden impacting minority populations.