Education and Outreach Unit

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EDUCATION AND OUTREACH UNIT – SUMMARY The two Research Projects and Transport Oncophysics Core (TOC) of the proposed Center for Immunotherapeutic Transport Oncophysics (CITO) form a collaborative and cohesive program to determine and understand the transport of immune cells, molecules, and particles, through systemic circulation and within the tumor microenvironment, and to exploit these features for the rational design of effective cancer immunotherapies and vaccines for breast and pancreatic cancers. To achieve this overarching goal, we recognize the need to foster current and future generations of individuals with a distinctive and powerful combination of transdisciplinary knowledge and skill sets in physical sciences oncology and the commitment to sharing and exploring this emerging domain with the scientific and lay communities. The Education and Outreach Unit (EOU) will promote the education and development of faculty, trainees, students, and advocates within the CITO. It will also serve as the mechanism for CITO members to engage with other Physical Sciences-Oncology Centers (PS-OCs), the broader scientific community, and the public, and to disseminate information and concepts on the physical sciences in cancer research and patient care. Detailed descriptions of planned programs and activities can be found in the EOU component of this application; we also summarize them in the Administrative Core (AC) component. We will organize several types of programs and activities that are intended to: 1) bring in new expertise and perspectives on physical sciences oncology (conferences, seminars, workshops, public engagement forums); 2) offer trainees and students avenues for interactive, laboratory- and/or clinic-based education in physical sciences oncology (fast-track research opportunities); 3) enable CITO investigators to take a sabbatical to other Physical Sciences-Oncology Network (PS-ON) laboratories as part of cross-training opportunities; 4) disseminate information to the public on the ideas, technologies, and capabilities of physical sciences oncology, and its potential impact on cancer research and patient care (via the Community Engagement Program with our patient advocates); and 5) gather relevant information and feedback from the patient community and the general public that would continue to guide and drive the CITO's research, educational, and outreach activities. The AC is charged with managing and facilitating activities for the EOU. Dr. Mauro Ferrari (CITO Principal Investigator, PI) will set the programmatic framework for the EOU, which will align with the thematic elements of the CITO Projects and TOC. He and the three other AC Co-Leaders (Dr. Elizabeth Mittendorf, Dr. Rongfu Wang, and Dr. Rolf Brekken) will lend strategic direction for the overall activities of the EOU, and the Center Administrator, Dr. Hanh Hoang, and staff will support them in implementing and coordinating those activities based on the requirements outlined by the CITO and the PS-ON.