Stanford Molecular Imaging Scholars (SMIS) Program

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PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT The Stanford Molecular Imaging Scholars (SMIS) program is an integrated, 3-year cross-disciplinary postdoctoral training program at Stanford University that brings together 30 faculty mentors from 13 departments in the Schools of Medicine, Engineering, and Humanities and Sciences. Molecular imaging (MI), a noninvasive technique to visualize and quantify specific molecular and biochemical processes in living organisms, has revolutionized medicine and biomedical research, and continues to expand its applications in the detection, treatment, and management of cancer. Key to the continued advancement and growth of this important field is the in-depth training of the next generation of cancer MI scientists. We propose to train 7 postdoctoral trainees per year (comprising 1st, 2nd, and 3rd year fellows). SMIS faculty mentors, and extensive resources, provide a rich and diverse training environment spanning fields such as biology, physics, mathematics, biocomputations/biomedical informatics, engineering, chemistry, biochemistry, cancer biology, immunology, and medical sciences. The centerpiece of the SMIS program is the opportunity for trainees (with PhD, MD, or MD/PhD degrees) to conduct innovative MI research that is co-mentored by faculty in complementary research and clinical disciplines. SMIS trainees also engage in specialized coursework, seminars, national conferences, clinical rounds, including ethics training in the responsible conduct of research, and enhancement of research reproducibility. The 3-year program culminates with the preparation and submission of an NIH grant proposal, in support of trainee transition to an independent career in cancer MI. During the previous three award cycles, 39 trainees have entered the SMIS program; 5 are currently enrolled and 34 have completed the program as of this writing. Those who have moved on are either in faculty or other academic positions, or working in the biotechnology field. Demand for the SMIS training is high; we now receive, on average, 10 or more applications per year from qualified candidates for 2-3 new trainee slots per year. For the upcoming cycle, we propose an enriched SMIS program in the following aspects: expansion of MI program area definitions to explicitly include cell tracking in vivo, immunotherapy and theranostics, and computations; strategic selection of additional diverse mentors; improvement in all training and career development components; expansion of female leadership for our training committee, grant writing proposal activity, clinical exposure components, and recruitment of underrepresented minority candidates. The continued goal of the SMIS program is to provide talented young researchers with the scientific and professional educational/career development opportunities to become leaders in the field.