Career Development Program

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The goal of the Melanoma SPORE Career Development Program (CDP) is to develop an integrated cadre of investigators at all levels of training dedicated to translational research on human melanoma. We have successfully accomplished this goal over the past 4.5 years of this SPORE through our funding and training of ten CDP recipients who are now supporting their melanoma research through 1 R01,1 CIDR, 2 R21s, and one MDACC Institutional grant on melanoma. In addition they have generated a substantial quantity of new data and information resulting in 20 publications. We will continue this program and aim to (1) recruit junior and senior physicians and basic laboratory scientists and support them to become competent translational investigators in the study of melanoma, (2) provide in-depth training in translational science principles of human cancer biology not commonly included in clinical fellowship training or Ph.D. programs, and (3) teach the fundamentals of the biology and clinical course of human melanoma to improve the ability of the awardees to conduct innovative translational research. The unique educational environment at M.D. Anderson and in the M.D. Anderson Melanoma Multidisciplinary Research Program has and will continue to assure that these goals are met. Up to three career development trainees (preferably 2 faculty members and 1 post doctoral fellow) will be supported annually. A portion of the NCl SPORE budget ($75,000 per year) plus half of the institutional commitment funds ($100,000 for the CDP per year) provided by the M.D. Anderson is available to the SPORE, resulting in $175,000 each year to Support the CDP in Melanoma. Solicitations will be made yearly for qualified candidates from within and outside of M.D. Anderson. The awardees will be reviewed and ranked by the SPORE Executive Committee and Internal Advisory Committee, with final decision made by the External Advisory Committee. A second year of support will also be available contingent upon review by the Internal Advisory Committee. Our mentorship program includes nationally recognized clinical and translational investigators who provide comprehensive training. Their success is evident in the accomplishments of the group of scientists awarded CDP awards over the last 4.5 year. Two of these individuals are now full contributors of this SPORE serving as Co-Leaders of projects. We propose to continue the high standards we have established and evaluate our program annually. We will modify our selection and training processes as required allowing us to continue to train future scientist in translational research on human melanoma throughout the term of this SPORE.