Career Development Program

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Career development activities were a major focus of the initial funding period of the Kidney Cancer SPORE. Many investigators within the DF/HCC Kidney Cancer SPORE have had a longstanding interest and substantial track record in mentoring of junior faculty with an interest in cancer research. The funding of the Kidney Cancer SPORE in 2003 enabled us to establish a formal process for the identification, selection, funding and mentoring of young investigators seeking to pursue careers in basic and clinical aspects of kidney cancer research. In addition, as this field has traditionally received only modest interest from young investigators, it enabled us to focus on marketing to young investigators the potential benefits of pursuing a research career focused on kidney cancer. We feel that our efforts to date have been an unqualified success, with no fewer than 15 young investigators establishing independent academic careers focused at least partially on kidney cancer as a consequence of their interactions with the SPORE. Several of these individuals are leading Kidney Cancer Programs at major academic institutions creating opportunities to multiply the impact of the SPORE on the field (see below and in the Career Development Program Progress Report). We have also been successful at obtaining institutional and outside support for the Career Development Program, which has added to our ability to support young faculty pursuing careers in kidney cancer.